China has announced a ban on exports to the United States of gallium, germanium and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications.

China has near global monopolies on these exports, accounting for 98% of global gallium production, 93% of germanium production, and 49% of antimony production.

  • @UnderpantsWeevilOPEnglish
    50•9 days ago

    If not this will have zero affect for the state actors and the US will just buy through a trading proxy at a higher cost.

    I’d define that as an effect, particularly given how the US has been scrambling to insource its tech industry over the last four years. TMSC just ramped up a competitive chip fab in Arizona, for instance.

    Idiotic policy on both sides.

    The argument boils down to each country claiming they need additional security measures aimed at a geopolitical rival. The ramp up to war never looks smart until one side wins.

    • RubberDuckEnglish
      9•9 days ago

      The Arizona fab is for relatively standard chips, not the high end ones.

      And this is also a step to prepare for an incoming president that has already kicked off a trade war before he even got there.