The United States is intensifying its efforts to create a digital Iron Curtain against the Chinese mainland, a move that carries significant downsides for both nations and the global tech landscape.
On Monday, the U.S. Commerce Department announced a sweeping initiative to ban China-developed software and hardware from internet-connected vehicles in the United States. This decision marks the latest in a series of restrictions aimed at limiting China's rapid technological growth.
Since 2019, the U.S. has placed China's telecom giant Huawei on the entity list, prohibiting American corporations from supplying foreign firms deemed as potential security threats. This barrier has since expanded to include popular Chinese social media platforms and China-made cranes operating at American ports.
Earlier this year, the Biden administration targeted Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), imposing 100 percent tariffs on China-made EVs and cutting off Chinese software and hardware used in these vehicles. This move is likely to become a permanent rule, further solidifying the digital divide between the world's two largest economies.
The creation of a digital Iron Curtain is not just about national security concerns; it reflects the U.S.'s quest for technological supremacy. This race for dominance has escalated unfair competition and heightened tensions, reminiscent of the Cold War arms race.
Critics argue that the U.S. is using national security as a pretext to abuse market principles and suppress Chinese rivals. The ongoing decoupling of Chinese products from the American market underscores the deepening divide and the challenges it poses for global trade and innovation.
As the digital landscape becomes increasingly polarized, the ramifications of these actions will be felt across various sectors, impacting everything from consumer electronics to international business collaborations.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
