The semiconductor war (for now) is not going to happen. Since the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, where the two leaders called time on their trade war, and the EU-led negotiations with the Middle Kingdom, Beijing has once again allowed shipments of Nexperia chips to European manufacturers. This helps allay fears that shortages will force, as in the post-Covid period, automakers in the Old Continent to delay deliveries of their vehicles due to a shortage of semiconductors.
However, the vulnerability of this strategic industry in the face of a single company under Chinese control raises serious questions about Europe’s strategic resilience in the chip space, which European countries are seeking to strengthen in the wake of Covid-induced shortages.
