The chip is the key hard power of the winning and defeat of China -US strategic competition.The chip is the foundation of the most cutting -edge technology today. It determines whether computers, artificial intelligence, 5G, autonomous drone, monitoring tools, etc. are leading the fate of all information technologies.From passwords to the design of hypersonic weapons and the latest generation of nuclear weapons, supercomputers are essential, and chips are the source of the power of supercomputers.The chip played a core role in generations of advanced weapons in the future.
Whoever has the chip, whoever has the hard power of science and technology, economy and military hard power.The chip's so important strategic value determines that the United States must hold the chip in the Sino -US strategic confrontation in order to curb China.In the Sino -US trade war, the United States launched measures to break the confession of Huawei; the crown disease epidemic prompted the United States to introduce the strategic policy of the United States to the People's Republic of China, and launched a comprehensive competitive strategy to China.It can be explained that the United States has laid out the reasons for the implementation of chip control measures in China since the trade war.
First, the export control measures are directly held to provide chips to China.On May 15, 2019, Trump signed an emergency administrative order to prohibit American companies from using telecommunications equipment produced by enterprises risky for national security.This is to pave the way to prohibit the business exchanges between US companies and Chinese companies.Since then, a number of American companies have announced the suspension of supplying key software and components for Huawei. The key to Huawei's confession is to cut off the chip to Huawei.
On May 15, 2020, the Industrial and Security Agency, a subordinate of the US Department of Commerce, announced that when the manufacturers were required to use the US technology or designed semiconductor chip export to Huawei, they must be exported by the US government.Manufacturers outside the production are no exception.This means that whether it is a US company, as long as American technology is used in the product, a license needs to be required when exporting to Huawei.For example, the United States will be able to prohibit TSMC from supplying Hisilicon Semiconductor under Huawei.
According to the new regulations, two key channels for Hisilicon's contact with US technology will be cut off: including chip design software including American companies including the Cadence Design Systems Inc and SynopSys Inc;The capacity of Yuan Dynasty workers.TSMC is the world's largest chip manufacturer; the chip designed by Hisilicon is manufactured by TSMC.
Second, pressure to provide China with a manufacturing chip and equipment.SMEs in the United States, the Netherlands and Japan have controlled more than 90%of global semiconductor manufacturing equipment.SMIC is the largest chip manufacturer in China. The most advanced chip produced by it is 14 nanometer chips; TSMC can currently produce 5 nanometer chips.The difference between 14 nanometers and 5 nanometers is 9 nanometers. These 9 nanometers cannot jump. The Extreme Ultraviolet Lithogram is a key device that shortens the 14 nanometer and 5nm gap.
ASML (ASML) is the only company in the world that can produce extremely UV glory.Acels produced by Acel can be used to create faster microprocessors, memory chips and other advanced components with faster speed and more powerful functions.On November 6, 2019, the Nikkei Asia commented first that Acemel suspended the transaction with the 7 -nanometer and below of SMIC, and said that the move was caused by the US government intervention.In 2018, the United States began lobbying the Dutch government and persuaded the Dutch government to stop providing lithography machines to SMIC.
In June 2019, US Secretary of State Pompeo visited the Netherlands and urged the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to stop the transaction.On July 18, Copperman, deputy national security adviser to the United States, presented to Dutch officials a intelligent information about China to obtain this potential impact of this technology.The Trump administration put pressure on the Netherlands on the grounds of the Velon tension agreement.The light carved machine belongs to the scope involved in the Walianson Agreement.The full name of the agreement is about the Watalum agreement controlled by conventional weapons and dual -purpose items and technology export control, which coordinate export restrictions on the so -called dual -use technology with business and military use.
Third, control TSMC, which is equivalent to holding the source of Chinese chips.In March 2020, Boston Consulting Group published a research report that the United States ranks first in the world in chip design, talent, integrated circuit design, and semiconductor equipment, and also has the world's largest integrated chip manufacturer Intel.However, the United States has the weakest strength in chip foundry, and TSMC, which has mastered the production capacity of over half of the global chip, is exactly the object of ordering most of the integrated circuit design companies in the United States.Therefore, whether the Trump administration must block the threat of Huawei in the outside world, or to rebuild the self -sufficient rate of semiconductor in the United States, the key is TSMC.
According to the research data of China Business Optoelectronics Technology (Cinno Research), the output of TSMC chip in 2019 accounted for more than 50%of the global market share.TSMC and Samsung are monopoly companies that produce 5 -nanometer chips worldwide. Intel has been backward market when producing 7 -nanometer chips and is forced to withdraw from foundry services.This decided to decide the unique position of TSMC's production chip, TSMC became a strategic asset of the United States to hold the source of Chinese chips; TSMC was forced to be involved in the Sino -US scientific and technological warfare.
On May 15th, on the same day that the United States announced the intensification of Huawei, TSMC announced a chip factory that will build a 5 -nanometer process in Arizona, USA.On May 20, the Taiwan Finance and Economics Magazine Business Weekly reported that after the US government's sealing order to Huawei in May 2019, TSMC took out a complete database built by rigorous compliance with regulations for many years, clearly proved that its instituteThe produced chip is in line with the threshold of less than 25%of the United States technology, and can continue to supply Huawei, which has become the key to getting gasp for Huawei for more than a year.
One month later, Liu Deyin, Chairman of TSMC, was directly named by the US Department of Commerce as a symposium for VIPs to participate in the US Department of Commerce and the semiconductor industry.The symposium is closely related to TSMC's decision -making decision -making in the United States.After Pompeo announced the news of the construction of the US factory in TSMC, a statement stated that: TSMC's construction of a factory in the United States will change the pattern of the US semiconductor industry, which will promote US national security and our economic prosperity.
On May 18, the Japanese media revealed that TSMC has stopped accepting Huawei's new orders because the United States has strengthened the facts for Huawei on May 15.TSMC produces 5 -nanometer chips in the United States, which will be controlled by the US government.The United States can provide TSMC's most advanced, high quality, and sustainable technical research to assist them in maintaining the industry's leading position.TSMC's factory in Arizona's 5 -nanometer chip will be officially mass -produced in 2024. At that time, TSMC should have a 3 -nanometer or 2 nanometer production technology, but it will be missed with China.
The United States holding chips to curb China can only stimulate China's self -reliance.When Chinese domestic chip technology reaches a world -class level, it naturally crushes the United States to curb China's goals.
The author is Shanghai Normal University in China
Professor of Economics of Business School
Whoever has the chip, whoever has the hard power of science and technology, economy and military hard power.The chip's so important strategic value determines that the United States must hold the chip in the Sino -US strategic confrontation in order to curb China.
