Chinese Whispers: Have America's chips controls backfired?

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🗓️ 10 February 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

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Summary

Beginning in the first Trump presidency and expanded under Joe Biden, the US has taken a strategy of technologically containing China through restricting its access to cutting edge semiconductors. As Chinese Whispers has looked at before, these chips form the backbone of rapid advances in AI, telecoms, smartphones, weaponry and more. Washington’s aim was clear: to widen the technological gap between the two powers

But has this strategy worked? Lately this has become a hot topic of debate as Chinese tech companies such as Huawei and DeepSeek have nevertheless made technical strides. Some even argue that the export controls have spurred on Chinese innovation and self-reliance.

In this episode of Chinese Whispers, two very informed and smart guests debate this issue. Ryan Fedasiuk is U.S. Director of The Future Society, an independent nonprofit organization focused on AI governance, and former Advisor for U.S.-China Bilateral Affairs at the US State Department. Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics at Michigan State University and a start-up founder. He also hosts the podcast, Manifold.

Produced by Cindy Yu and Joe Bedell-Brill.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Spectator magazine is home to wonderful writing, insightful analysis and unrivaled books and arts reviews.
0:06.4	Subscribe today for just £12 and receive a 12-week subscription in print and online,
0:11.7	along with a free £20 £10 £10 or Waitrose voucher.
0:14.6	Go to spectator.com.uk forward slash voucher.
0:33.2	Hello and welcome to Chinese Whispers with me, Cindy Yu. Every episode I'll be talking to journalists, experts and long-time China watches about the latest in Chinese politics, society and more.
0:39.6	There'll be a smattering of history to catch you up on the background knowledge and some context as well.
0:44.3	How did the Chinese see these issues?
0:47.8	Beginning in the first Trump presidency and expanded under Joe Biden,
0:51.2	the US has taken a strategy of technologically containing China
0:54.9	through restricting its access to cutting-edge semiconductors. As Chinese whispers has looked at before,
1:00.8	these chips form the backbone of rapid advances in AI, telecoms, smartphones, weaponry and more.
1:06.9	Washington's aim was and is clear to widen the technological gap between the two powers.
1:12.0	But has the strategy worked?
1:14.1	Lately this has become a hot topic of debate as Chinese tech companies such as Huawei and Deepseek
1:18.9	have nevertheless made technological strides.
1:21.9	Some even argue that the export controls have spurred on Chinese innovation and self-reliance.
1:27.2	In this episode of Chinese
1:28.4	Whispers, we'll be debating this issue with two very informed, very smart guests. Ryan Fadashuk is
1:35.0	US Director of the Future Society, an independent non-profit organisation focused on AI governance
1:40.9	and former advisor for US-China bilateral affairs at the US State Department.
1:46.2	Steve Sue is Professor of Theoretical Physics at Michigan State University and a startup founder.
1:51.6	He also hosts the podcast Manifold.
	...

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