Amid delays, higher costs and worker complaints, one wonders if TSMC’s plans in Arizona are anything other than an effort to stay in the US’ good graces.

With its home-grown passenger jet, Comac is trying to break into a long-standing aviation duopoly, while China hopes to turn a unipolar world order into a more multipolar one.

The US may have overplayed it in coercing allies such as Japan and the Netherlands to join the sanctions, which will cost their companies and risk China’s economic wrath.

Although Joe Biden’s tech sanctions have set back China’s bid to achieve chip independence, it would not be wise to count the Chinese out. More likely, the contest for chip supremacy will have no clear-cut winners, while consumers everywhere pay more for less.