A sweeping narrative detailing the protracted struggle for control over what has emerged as the world’s most indispensable asset—microchip technology—amidst escalating tensions between the United States and China.
The revelation may astonish you: microchips have become the contemporary equivalent of oil, a scarce and pivotal resource upon which the modern world hinges. In today’s landscape, the bedrock of military might, economic supremacy, and geopolitical influence rests upon the foundation of computer chips. Practically everything—from advanced weaponry to household appliances, smartphones to the financial markets—operates on the intricate workings of chips. Not long ago, the United States held the position of designing and producing the swiftest chips, maintaining an unassailable perch as the premier global superpower. However, this supremacy is now teetering, as competing forces in Taiwan, Korea, Europe, and most notably, China, challenge American dominance. The revelations of “Chip War” divulge that China, a nation expending more resources annually on chip imports than oil imports, is channeling vast investments into a chip fabrication initiative aimed at bridging the gap with the United States. At stake loom the pillars of America’s military preeminence and economic prosperity.
Historian of economics, Chris Miller, unravels the journey of the semiconductor’s meteoric ascent to a pivotal role in modern society, as well as America’s ascent to the forefront of chip design, manufacturing, and military application. The United States’ triumph in the Cold War and its subsequent global military supremacy hinged on its unparalleled ability to harness computational potency. However, a parallel narrative emerges: China’s determined pursuit of chip development, paralleling its modernization of military capabilities. Crucially, the United States has inadvertently relinquished key aspects of the chip production process, leading not only to a worldwide scarcity of chips but also to the ignition of a new Cold War with an ardent superpower adversary striving to bridge this technological divide.
Offering illumination, timeliness, and an enthralling account, “Chip War” underscores the imperative role occupied by chips as a lens through which to fathom the current state of global politics, economics, and technology.
