Behind China’s uncompromising trade stance lies a calculated strategy to protect its technological ascendancy. Industry insiders reveal Beijing’s tariff ultimatum directly responds to recent US moves to cripple China’s chip and AI industries.
The Tech Battle Timeline:
- 2023: US bans advanced AI chip exports
- 2024: Japan/Dutch join US semiconductor equipment embargo
- Jan 2025: China achieves 7nm chip breakthrough
- Mar 2025: US revokes Intel’s export license for Huawei
China’s Countermeasures:
- $47 billion semiconductor self-sufficiency fund
- “National Team” tech buyers replacing Western imports
- New antitrust probes targeting US cloud providers
Sector Spotlight: Electric Vehicles
The tariff conflict now threatens to derail climate cooperation:
- US maintains 27.5% tariff on Chinese EVs
- China retaliated with graphite export controls
- Ford’s LFP battery plant now delayed indefinitely
