Editorial | In brutal US-China tech war, what goes around comes around
- By singling out Micron, Beijing is sending an unmistakable message: companies aiding and abetting Washington should think twice
China has moved to impose a ban on American chip maker Micron Technology’s products. While it marks a significant retaliation, it’s remarkably measured when compared to a long list of export controls and tech sanctions imposed by the United States.
It is ironic Washington is now accusing Beijing of not keeping its word about openness, in light of what many observers have termed its “chip war” against China.
So far, this US tech war has been one-sided. But the Micron ban shows that Beijing means business. In an official statement, the Cyberspace Administration of China complained that its products posed “serious network security risks to critical information infrastructure supply chain” and therefore “national security”.
Micron stands to lose its 28 per cent lock on the Chinese market share of DRAM memory chips – which are used in all types of electronics from smartphones to computers – behind Samsung’s 43 per cent.
The move against the semiconductor giant, which may well see it eventually ejected from the Chinese market, involves particular bad blood.