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The intense technological rivalry between the United States and China is expected to continue regardless of who wins the November 5 presidential election.
This is the data we are arriving at from the various declarations of the two presidential candidates <a href="https://www.world-today-news.com/donald-trump-whats-behind-the-us-presidents-baltimore-attack/" title="Donald Trump: What's behind the US President's Baltimore attack”>Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Former Republican President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris are currently neck and neck in the polls, and while Trump has issued direct warnings that he will impose tougher tariffs on Chinese exports, the Democratic nominee is expected to continue the Biden Administration’s policy of imposing rules aimed against Beijing.
New efforts are expected to slow the flow of less sophisticated Chinese chips, smart cars and other imports into the United States, along with further restrictions on chip-making tools and AI chips going to China, according to Reuters. In her run for president, Harris has said she will make sure “America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century,” while Trump has cast ever-increasing tariffs as the panacea that includes fighting China’s technological progress.
In short, the policy of preventing US money and technology from strengthening China’s military and AI capabilities knows no political color and is set to intensify under Harris or Trump, as reported OF.
Last month, the United States proposed rules to keep connected cars made with Chinese components off American roads, while this spring a law was passed that would force China’s Bytedance to sell TikTok, under penalty of a ban in the States.
If Harris wins the election, her approach would likely be more targeted and coordinated than Trump’s. For example, it is likely to continue working with allies as the Biden administration did, to prevent U.S. technology from indirectly helping the Chinese military.
A possible second Trump Administration, on the other hand, could move more quickly and with much more force in the short term and be more willing to punish recalcitrant allies. “Significant expansion of the entity list” is expected, to capture affiliates and business partners of listed companies. The list, as is known, limits exports to those who are present on it. Trump added China’s Huawei Technologies to the sanctions relief list. Licenses to ship U.S. technology to China are also more likely to be denied.
Trump is expected to be tougher than Harris on allies who do not follow the US lead. Trump will likely take a “sledgehammer” for the checks, where Harris would use a “scalpel,” he reports OF. Trump said he would impose tariffs of 10 or 20 percent on all imports, not just Chinese, and 60 percent or more on Chinese imports.
Harris described Trump’s tariff plan as a tax on consumers, but the Biden Administration saw a need for targeted tariffs, including raising the rate on semiconductors from 25 to 50 percent by 2025.
China has repeatedly said it would safeguard its rights and interests. Last year, it targeted U.S. memory chip maker Micron Technology after Washington imposed a series of export controls on U.S. chips and chipmaking equipment, and the U.S. accused Beijing of penalizing other US companies amid rising tensions.
China also introduced restrictions last year to the export of germanium and galliummetals widely used in chip manufacturing, citing national security interests.
It issued new restrictions on some graphite products that go into electric vehicle batteries in October 2023, just days after the United States tightened rules on chip-related exports. And in June it unveiled new rules on rare earth elements essential for military equipment and consumer electronics.
Lucia Giannini
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