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Paul Scharre, the Executive Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), has emphasized the importance of the United States maintaining its technological advancement in chips and artificial intelligence. Scharre's comments were made in response to new export laws on China, which restrict China's access to advanced technology.
"The Administration has to manage a difficult balancing act: restricting China's access to advanced technology where possible without creating inadvertent incentives for global companies to de-Americanize supply chains," said Scharre.
The US recently enacted new export controls on China regarding computer chips. These controls are aimed at protecting technologies that have national security or human rights implications. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that the controls will allow the US to monitor the export of chips to China that are used for military purposes, including hypersonic missiles. The new controls will also make it more challenging for China to manufacture chips abroad.
In response to the announcement of the new export controls, Scharre acknowledged the Biden Administration's goal of cutting off China's access to leading-edge chip technology while minimizing constraints on American businesses. However, Scharre highlighted the potential consequences for the US supply chain economy in achieving this goal. He described export controls as a "moving target" but deemed them necessary for the US to maintain its superiority in advanced technology. These controls will also impact the development of artificial intelligence, which is crucial for the US to continue innovating.
Emily Kilcrease, a Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at CNAS, also commented on the new controls. Kilcrease expressed optimism about the stronger alignment with international partners and the more sophisticated understanding of preventing legal circumvention of the controls. However, she remained cautious about future developments between China and the US, considering the ongoing tensions between the two countries.
Addressing the issue of US control over advanced chips, Vivek Chilukuri, a Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program at CNAS, stated that America cannot entirely stop China from developing or accessing advanced chips. Chilukuri drew a parallel to North Korea's development of a nuclear weapon, emphasizing that the US cannot maintain control indefinitely. This raises questions about the longevity of the US's dominance in this technological field.
As the US implements new export controls on China, experts at CNAS emphasize the need for the US to strike a delicate balance between restricting China's access to technology while ensuring the strength of American supply chains. The controls reflect an effort to protect national security and human rights, but their effectiveness and long-term implications remain uncertain.
