The Relationship between US-China Semiconductor Friction and US National Security: A Realism Perspective

Abstract

In recent years, the US has been escalating sanctions on China’s semiconductor industry, attributing these measures to national security concerns in official statements. This study employs a realism theory framework to analyse these sanctions, emphasizing their connection to US national security. US national security aims to achieve global influence in both military and non-military domains, with the semiconductor industry playing a crucial role in US national security and economic stability. The emerging capabilities of China’s semiconductor industry pose potential challenges to these critical aspects. In the military domain, China has deployed artificial intelligence and 5G technologies for military purposes, attaining capabilities comparable to the US. These technologies heavily rely on semiconductor chips as hardware support. In response, the US targets China’s semiconductor industry, aiming to indirectly impede China’s military competition. Additionally, the US position in the global semiconductor manufacturing value chain renders it relatively vulnerable. Given the US dependence on key products manufactured in China, concerns about the security of the semiconductor value chain arise. Therefore, motivated by national security considerations, the US has implemented significant sanctions on China’s semiconductor industry to address the military and economic threats posed by China.

Keywords

• the us-china relations; national security; realism; semiconductor trade frictions