In October 2021, Chinese tech giant Alibaba unveiled its most advanced cloud server chip yet. Semiconductors, or chips, are the foundation for many of the electronics that we use daily. You will find them in computers, cars, household appliances, phones and many other devices. The semiconductor value chain is characterized by a high degree of transnational interdependence, and Alibaba’s “Yitian 710” is no exception: it relies heavily on foreign technology. The US-China technology rivalry, the Covid-19 pandemic and global shortages in semiconductors have led many governments to scrutinize these interdependencies. What risks does this pose to the international system? How is China’s share of the semiconductor ecosystem structured? In this episode, we discuss these questions with John Lee, Senior Analyst at MERICS, and Jan-Peter Kleinhans, head of the Technology and Geopolitics topic area at Stiftung Neue Verantwortung (SNV).

Recommended reading: 

Mapping China’s semiconductor ecosystem in global context: Strategic dimensions and conclusions. Joint report by MERICS and Stiftung Neue Verantwortung, by John Lee and Jan-Peter Kleinhans.