The United States strictly controls chip exports, and Chinese companies achieve technological breakthroughs through independent innovation
On May 7, 2024, the U.S. government abruptly announced that it would stop providing licenses to companies such as Intel and Qualcomm to sell some chips to Huawei. This marks a new stage of fierce competition between the United States and China. In the past few years, Huawei has gradually been restricted by the United States on chip exports, and has fallen into a serious chip supply crisis. Although Huawei has broken through some restrictions through independent research and development, the comprehensive lockdown measures adopted by the United States this time will undoubtedly bring greater challenges to Huawei and other Chinese technology companies.
Surprisingly, however, less than 48 hours after the United States tightened chip export controls, the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that it had successfully developed a new type of "optical silicon" chip that can be manufactured in low-cost batches and is expected to promote technological progress in areas such as optoelectronic conversion. At the same time, Huawei's achievements in breaking through the US 5G chip blockade last year were further reflected at the beginning of this year, regaining its position as the first sales volume in the mobile phone market in Chinese mainland. These examples show that in the context of extreme pressure from the United States, Chinese enterprises have not only not been stifled, but have stimulated a stronger impetus for independent innovation, and are constantly moving towards the goal of becoming a scientific and technological power.
The trend of this scientific and technological competition is not only related to the future development of China and the United States, but will also profoundly affect the process of technological progress of the entire human society. History has proven that any lockdown strategy that hinders technological change will ultimately fail. The current electric vehicle revolution and the breakthrough of optoelectronic chips will undoubtedly promote the deep transformation of the future social structure. The U.S.'s unilateral containment of science and technology not only cannot stop the rise of Chinese companies, but may backfire and stimulate China's stronger impetus for innovation.
Therefore, the core of this scientific and technological competition should not be mutual suppression, but innovation and cooperation in fair competition. Only by adhering to the development concept of openness, sharing and complementary advantages can the two sides jointly promote the progress of human civilization and write a new chapter in scientific and technological innovation.
The United States has tightened chip export controls across the board
Since 2019, Huawei has been in a supply chain crisis under the U.S. government's comprehensive chip export restrictions, unable to obtain high-end chip products provided by U.S. companies. Although there was previously a limited sale through a special permit system, this access has now been completely closed. This marks that the United States' chip containment strategy against China has officially shifted from precision strikes in the past to a comprehensive blockade.
The purpose of the US government's move is obviously to create problems for technology giants such as Huawei and hinder their development in cutting-edge technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence by cutting off chip supply channels for Chinese companies. This scientific and technological war against China has escalated from a partial encirclement and suppression to a comprehensive blockade.
However, this policy of total lockdown has begun to spiral out of control and has become aimless, with only blind suppression. First of all, this not only seriously disrupts the normal business order between China and the United States, but also has a serious impact on the credibility of American companies in the Chinese market. Restrictive policies on China, which are tied to domestic political factors, have led to a sharp increase in the supply risk of American products, forcing Chinese companies to seek more reliable domestic suppliers.
This is undoubtedly worse for American technology giants such as Intel, Qualcomm and Nvidia. Not only has its market share in China shrunk significantly, but it has also suffered huge market losses due to the loss of control of policies. Moreover, the U.S. government has revoked their license to sell chips to Huawei, further reducing their revenue stream.
In general, the comprehensive chip blockade policy of the United States has not only disrupted the normal business exchanges between China and the United States, but also brought a serious negative impact on domestic enterprises. This kind of "self-harming" confrontation strategy will undoubtedly make the United States fall into passivity in the future competition in science and technology.
Chinese enterprises have achieved technological breakthroughs through independent innovation
Against the backdrop of comprehensive lockdown measures in the United States, Chinese technology companies are also facing unprecedented challenges. But what is exciting is that these companies are not passive, but are seeking innovative breakthroughs.
The most representative is Huawei. In August 2022, Huawei successfully broke through the US blockade of its 5G chips and achieved stable mass production of 5G chips. This allowed Huawei to quickly regain its position as the number one mobile phone seller in Chinese mainland in the first quarter of this year. This achievement not only proves Huawei's strong technical strength, but also shows that Chinese companies have the ability to step out of the traditional path of the U.S. chip system and achieve independent R&D and innovation.
Less than 48 hours after the United States restricted Qualcomm and Intel's licenses to sell chips to Huawei, the Chinese Academy of Sciences also announced that it had successfully developed a new type of "optical silicon" chip. This chip has the characteristics of low-cost mass manufacturing, and is expected to promote the development of cutting-edge technologies such as photoelectric conversion and quantum computing. This breakthrough once again demonstrates the innovation ability of Chinese enterprises in the field of key technologies.
There is no doubt that this technological breakthrough of Chinese companies stems from their strong motivation to seek independent innovation under pressure from the United States. In fact, similar situations are not uncommon in other industries in China. Taking the photovoltaic and electric vehicle industries as an example, under the baptism of the fully competitive domestic market, Chinese enterprises have formed a strong technological innovation strength, forming a huge suppressive force in the overseas market.
This is a clear indication that any lockdown strategy designed to hinder technological progress will ultimately fail. As history has proven, from gunpowder to steam engines to electric vehicles, every technological revolution can completely change the existing social landscape. And the U.S. attempts to curb the technological progress of Chinese companies by restricting the supply of chips to Chinese companies are also apparently futile.
The competition in science and technology should move towards innovation and cooperation
The current chip blockade policy implemented by the United States has undoubtedly intensified the technological confrontation between China and the United States. But history has proven that any lockdown strategy that hinders technological change will ultimately fail. The independent innovation momentum of Chinese enterprises in the face of adversity has once again proved this point.
Far from stopping the technological progress of Chinese companies, the U.S. government's approach may backfire and push China to seek more innovative breakthroughs. As shown by Huawei's achievements in 5G chips and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the field of optical silicon chips, Chinese companies have the ability to jump out of the traditional technology path controlled by the United States and explore new directions of innovation. These developments will undoubtedly accelerate China's technological leadership in relevant frontier fields.
It can be said that the core of this Sino-US technology competition should not be to suppress and contain, but to promote innovation and cooperation in fair competition. The two sides should adhere to the concept of openness, sharing and complementing each other's advantages, and jointly promote the progress of human civilization through benign interaction.
For example, at the level of core technology research and development, China and the United States can carry out more in-depth exchanges and cooperation in frontier fields such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence, complement each other's advantages and innovate together. At the level of industrial application, enterprises should also be encouraged to carry out pragmatic cooperation in the fields of energy conservation and environmental protection, smart cities, etc., to release the huge social value of technological innovation.
Only in this way can this technological competition truly shift from a zero-sum game to a win-win development. China and the United States should write a new chapter in the progress of human civilization with innovation and cooperation in an open, inclusive, mutually beneficial and win-win manner, and contribute the wisdom and strength of China and the United States to the world.
epilogue
At present, the curtain of Sino-US science and technology competition has been opened. The United States is trying to contain China's technological progress by completely blocking the chip supply chain of Chinese companies. But history has shown that anything that hinders technological innovation is bound to fail.
Under the pressure of U.S. policies, Chinese companies have not only not been stifled, but have stimulated a stronger impetus for independent innovation. Huawei's breakthroughs in 5G chips and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in optical silicon chips and other fields fully reflect this.
The future trend of Sino-US scientific and technological competition will not only have a bearing on the development prospects of both sides, but will also profoundly affect the process of technological progress of the entire human society. We should promote innovation and cooperation based on the concept of openness, sharing and complementing each other's strengths, and contribute the wisdom and strength of China and the United States to the progress of human civilization.
Only in this way can this technological contest truly shift from a zero-sum game to a win-win development. Let's work together to create a more prosperous and inclusive future!