The Semiconductor

Semiconductors are an essential piece to for processing power and computing among a wide variety of technology. Effective and high performing semiconductors are necessary for personal computers, phones, cars, equipment in manufacturing, healthcare and government and the military.

Semiconductors are also essential for artificial intelligence; they are used for tasks in supercomputers such as speech and photo recognition and are needed so these tasks can be completed in mere seconds.

Repercussions of a less effective semiconductors

Not having access or the ability to create advanced semiconductors can result in slower performer computers, equipment or computers than cannot perform a high number of tasks at once or fewer/singular advanced tasks.

The US Department of Commerce has recently stepped forward to “keep advanced technologies out of the wrong hands,” by restricting the trade of advanced semiconductors to China. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has described this as a way for the US to maintain “technological hegemony.”

These restrictions can create macro level problems, such as less effective cyber defense and military technology (aircraft weapon systems, air defense radars, etc.). However, this can also cause micro-level problems for the Chinese government such as having less effective personal computers for daily tasks for workers (both public and private).

Tech in Global Hegemony

Technology is very globalized today and this “Tech War” between China and U.S shows the two hegemonic countries fighting for in the tech and manufacturing domain.