Stop China’s technology infiltration
China has been nothing short of explicit about its ongoing efforts to supplant the United States as a leader on the world stage. Control over technology, and specifically the semiconductor industry, is a key part of China’s strategy. Not only is China subsidizing their own chip industry, but they are also actively working to ensure those chips end up in America’s military equipment and technology. This poses a major national security threat for obvious reasons. To better understand the far-ranging implications of this emerging crisis, here are just a few technologies that microchips are used in:
How it Affects You
Personal Electronics
Automobiles
Medical Care
Communication
Banking
Military
The Key Players
Chinese chip manufacturers that would be prohibited by the proposed NDAA amendment include Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), ChangXIN Memory Technologies (CXMT), and Yangtze Memory Technologies Corporation (YMTC). The United States previously imposed restrictions on each of these companies after concluding there was “an unacceptable risk” its equipment could be used for military purposes. In addition, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of the National Intelligence and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “reasonably believes these companies are owned or controlled by” the People’s Republic of China.
Take Action:
Send Congress a Message
Tell Congress to keep China’s microchips out of America’s military and technology.o By sending Congress a message today, you can help protect America’s national security and stop China’s technology infiltration. With the passage of the next National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”), Congress has the opportunity to include an amendment (section 5871) that would prohibit government contractors from using certain Chinese semiconductors. The amendment expands the anti-Huawei rule of 2019 (section 889) to incorporate additional companies that pose a security threat to the United States. Send a message to your representatives today to urge them to include this critically important amendment – our national security is at stake!
There is high confidence that CXMT is fully integrated into the Chinese military and surveillance apparatus. We are reasonably certain Chinese chips can be altered to contain malware.
“The East is rising, and the West is Declining.”
The threat that will define this century is China. And we will need a whole-of-society — not just government — whole-of-society effort to match them.
Fundamentally, we need to make more chips in America… The semiconductor industry was invented in America. Once upon a time, not that long ago, we made almost 40% of all the world’s chips in America. Now we make only 12%, which means we’re extremely dependent on other countries for our chips.
China is pursuing unprecedented state-funded efforts to forge a world-leading semiconductor industry by 2030. If a potential adversary bests the United States in semiconductors, it could gain the upper hand in every domain of warfare. Never before in my lifetime have I been more worried that we will soon be displaced by a rival or more aware of what second place means for our economy, our security, and the future of our nation.
“We don’t have the ability to make the most advanced chips now — right now, Ninety percent of the most advanced chips are made in Taiwan. China is doing everything it can to take over the global market so they can try to outcompete the rest of us and have a lot of applications — including military applications.”
