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5 July 2024

Close the Open-Source Door to China

Eric Miller

In the history of warfare, technological advantage is typically decisive.

Today, worsening relations between the U.S. and China have put military readiness squarely into the spotlight. From integrated systems to cyberwarfare, the conflicts of the future will turn significantly on relative strengths in digital technologies.

In 2022, the Pentagon released its National Defense Science and Technology Strategy, which identified 14 critical technology areas that the United States must master to maintain its military superiority. At least half of these are dependent on advanced chip technologies.

The United States is spending billions to rebuild its own semiconductor manufacturing sector. It is also using export controls and sanctions to try to block the sale of advanced technologies – and the tools for making them – to China. This has included working with allies: For example, last year Japan and the Netherlands joined the U.S. in blocking the export of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China.

Despite all these efforts, there is a fatal flaw in the U.S. approach – a failure to address open-source technologies.

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