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Only a fraction of the microchips used worldwide are manufactured in Europe. By revenue, the share is so small that it only shows up in statistics under “Other”. The US at least makes an appearance with a single-digit percentage. In short, almost all chips come from Asia. It is no wonder that Joe Biden has taken the initiative and is subsidizing the restoration of an American semiconductor industry.
And the EU? It has launched an initiative that is showing initial success. But it will be years before more semiconductors are produced domestically again. Until then, we can only pray and hope that nothing else goes wrong in geopolitical terms. Otherwise, the assembly lines in German industry, the basis of our prosperity, will grind to a halt. The semiconductor situation could turn into an even worse repeat of the drama surrounding Russian energy sources, analyzes Felix Lee.
There are many Sinologists who are not fluent in Chinese. But there have hardly been any graduate Sinologists who have never been to Asia at all. The pandemic has brought about a new phenomenon here as well. This summer semester marks the graduation of the first bachelor’s degree class that has been largely barred from traveling to the Far East. Amelie Richter has summarized the devastating psychological effect this has had on the new generation of students interested in China.
Finn Mayer-Kuckuk
Feature
China, USA, EU: race for the chips lead
They are at the heart of modern industrial products, and whoever masters their production will decide who is the leader in future technologies: Semiconductors, more commonly known as microchips. That is why China, the USA and the EU are currently doing everything to bolster their technological position.
The USA is now pressing ahead. The Senate passed a bill to this effect on Wednesday. All that remains is the approval of the House of Representatives, which is considered certain. But the EU and China are also trying hard to boost their own semiconductor production with subsidies, tax breaks and other incentives. The EU has already presented a corresponding proposal for a bundle of measures with the European Chips Act (Europe.Table reported).
The stakes are high. It is no longer just a matter of principle to be at the forefront of technology. In the wake of geopolitical and trade rivalries, national economies aim to restore their manufacturing independence after decades of relying on foreign sourcing. The pandemic has shown, not least to the German electronics and automotive industries, what happens when supplies from the Far East fail to arrive. Some car manufacturers have had to cut their production by a third at times.
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