Exchanges The US-China Tech Race
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Dec 10, 2025 
Mark Kennedy, founding director of the Wahba Initiative for Strategic Competition, teams up with Paul Triolo, partner at DGA Albright Stonebridge Group, to delve into the riveting US-China tech rivalry. They dissect the impact of US export controls on China's tech landscape and how these measures have accelerated China's drive for chip independence. The duo explores semiconductor choke points, the potential for self-sufficiency, and the critical role of energy availability for AI infrastructure. Unpacking each nation's strengths, they paint a vivid picture of the tech race's future.
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Tech Is The Strategic Switchboard
- Technology is the “switchboard” that routes data, standards and compute, shaping military, economic, and informational power.
- The U.S. leads in core tech like semiconductors and AI frameworks, while China leads in applications, installations, and self-sufficiency efforts.
Controls Spur Chinese Self-Reliance
- U.S. export controls accelerated China's push for independence from Western chips.
- Controls slow progress but won't guarantee long-term U.S. dominance.
Secure Rare-Earth Supply Lines
- The U.S. must secure alternative rare-earth supplies through allies like Australia and Canada.
- Move from admiring the problem to deliberate investment and partnership to reduce China's chokehold.