Semiconductor Showdown: US-China Trade Tensions Peak

As of December 2024, China retaliates against US chip sanctions by banning exports of critical materials like gallium and germanium—the lifeblood of semiconductors. This move, citing national security, disrupts global supply chains and could spur inflation, since the US sources half its gallium from China. With 140 Chinese firms already blacklisted by the US, the tech tug-of-war intensifies. Meanwhile, industry insiders humorously dub it the 'Great Chip Standoff,' hoping for a peaceful resolution amid the high-stakes trade drama.