Part 8/12:

The US has reemerged as a powerful player in semiconductors, driven by a strategic push to counter China’s technological ambitions. The chip 4 Alliance, involving the US, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, seeks to encircle China with advanced manufacturing capabilities and restrict its access to critical technologies. Historically, China had experienced rapid growth in semiconductor manufacturing, especially in legacy chips produced with 28nm technology and larger nodes. Yet, US sanctions and trade restrictions have significantly hampered China's progress in cutting-edge chip technology. The Chinese leadership, under President Xi Jinping, has called for decades-long efforts to achieve technological self-reliance, though experts suggest it could take centuries to fully develop domestically produced high-speed train systems without global supply chains.