From “Two Bombs and One Satellite” project to manned space program, the quantum communication technology and BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, those facts have proved that restrictions and suppression cannot stop China’s growth, but only strengthen its determination and capability of innovation in the field of science and technology, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on Monday.
“The development of China has always been built on the base of its own strength,” Mao said.
The spokesperson’s remarks came after Microsoft founder Bill Gates said last Thursday in an interview that U.S. attempts to stop China from developing chips are futile and will only reduce U.S. jobs and cut off product sales.
Meanwhile, the American economist David Goldman stated that the “U.S. idea of decoupling with China is silly” and said sanctions will not destroy China’s semiconductor industry.
Since the introduction of the Chip and Science Act, many U.S. business institutions and business people have raised concerns that the U.S. semiconductor industry is highly dependent on the global supply chain, the spokesperson said, adding that “decoupling” is not only against the law of industrial development but will also come at a huge cost to the United States.
Mao said the key for the U.S. to maintain global leadership in high-tech industries is fair competition. The spokesperson reiterated that the U.S. should neither maintain scientific and technological hegemony by any means nor destroy the global production and supply chain for selfish interests, which she cautioned would only worsened the already fragile global economy.
According to Boston Consulting Group forecasts, a complete “decoupling” with China would cost the U.S. semiconductor industry 18 percent of global market share and 37 percent of revenues, with 15,000 to 40,000 highly-skilled job lost, she said.
