US chip sanctions may not be enough to deter China’s military ambitions
The Biden administration's October 2022 export controls aimed at limiting China's semiconductor technology may be insufficient, according to engineers at China's leading technology university, Tsinghua. The U.S. restrictions focus on advanced-node chips vital for AI and military applications but largely ignore 'mature node' chips that are equally important for military technology. The engineers reveal that despite the U.S. sanctions, they can easily bypass EDA (Electronic Design Automation) software restrictions, primarily through back channels, and then proceed to manufacture chips in Taiwan. They warn that the U.S. approach may inadvertently boost China's older semiconductor industry while not effectively curbing its military technological ambitions.