CRITICAL BATTLEGROUND: SEMICONDUCTOR CHIPS
While tax talks continue to dominate worldwide headlines, experts say the real battlefield is systems, silicon microchips in particular which power anything from electric vehicles to smartphones, computers and satellites.  ,
The slender but potent chips have long been at the center of the US-China business war, which has been fueled by China’s drive for semiconductor independence and US efforts to thwart China’s access to cutting-edge chip-making technology.  ,
According to Jing Qian, co-founder and managing director of the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis,” the US-China tech war will probably get worse as Washington tightens import controls and Beijing pushes harder for semiconductor self-reliance.”  ,
China has previously launched what experts believe to be its strongest counterretaliation against US antitrust laws, which were also used in Beijing’s well-known investigation against US intel Nvidia.
China’s business government launched a probe into US device exports on January 16 to find out if US device producers were receiving unfair advantages through incentives and grants.  ,
According to a government director,” Companies have been exporting related mature-process device goods to China at low prices, thereby favoring the legitimate interests of the local market.” ” The concerns of China’s domestic industry are reasonable and they have the right to request a trade remedy investigation” . ,
The analysis was a strong and” calculated response” from Beijing to US laws, Jing said, one that “leveraged China’s substantial market size and manufacturing capacity to assert itself as a communicator of similar standing”.
According to Jing,” These actions are a part of a wider plan to unwind US companies and influence policymakers ‘ choices,” as well as cautioning that they also come with risks.  ,
” Heightened compliance fees, regulatory uncertainty and worries of arbitrary enforcement may deter foreign investment and hinder technological cooperation, probably undermining China’s long-term goals”, he added.  ,
China’s antitrust laws have “grown stronger” in recent months, noted Chen.
According to Chen,” Antitrust investigations are intended to uncover and correct anti-competitive behaviors or violations of merger conditions.”  ,
According to China, they must maintain a foundation in antitrust principles in order to avoid undermining transparency and stumbling investor confidence.
According to him,” Escalation only makes sense for Beijing if forceful responses impede further adversarial policies or put pressure on Beijing to reverse existing US measures,” he continued, adding,” I do not believe China needs to enshrine antitrust laws to ( put ) foreign companies at a disadvantage.