“As semiconductor supply chains are strained by multiple bottlenecks, giving rise to severe chip shortages, this is arguably the worst time to experiment with discriminatory supply chain controls against a geopolitical rival.”
Dieter Ernst on US-China semiconductor supply chain linkages
As many governments continue to question how to balance trade relations with diplomatic relations around other issues — from human rights and climate change to technology and privacy — Rohinton P. Medhora sat down with China’s Ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu to discuss China’s global influence. Huawei and 5G technologies were high on the ambassador’s agenda.
China has often been blamed for supply chain problems during the pandemic. But, as Dieter Ernst notes, geopolitics rather than economics driving supply chain regulation has caused unintended consequences, including blocking access to essential products and technologies, especially in the case of US efforts to protect semiconductors. At the same time, Alex He found that China faces an uphill battle to expand its global infrastructure and markets because of its lack of influence in international standard-setting bodies.