When the US imposed a severe embargo to cut off the supply of high-end chips to Huawei in 2020, many foresaw it being a counterproductive move by Washington. Yes, it might stifle the technological prowess of Huawei, but more than that, it would push the Chinese telecommunications giant to develop its chips more quickly.
Despite a slowdown, Huawei found a way to generate revenue outside its smartphone business over the years. It eventually proved to the world that obtaining US tech might be a ‘want’ for China, but certainly was not a ‘need’ for the superpower.
That is perhaps why experts expect the breakthrough in developing a new 5G processor in mainland China not only to prompt another round of investigation by Washington, but also to intensify the US-China tech war. It could also spark more debate in the US about the effectiveness of sanctions, and the way we use it.