Semiconductor Geopolitics: How U.S., China, Korea, and Taiwan Shape a Fragile Supply Chain
📌 Supply-Chain Risk: U.S.–China–Korea–Taiwan Tensions Around Semiconductor & Materials Trade --- 📌 Introduction — Why the Semiconductor Supply Chain Became a National-Security Risk The “oil of the 21st century” is no longer oil. It’s semiconductors. From smartphones and laptops to EVs, AI servers, and even advanced weapons systems, there’s virtually no field untouched by chips. We now live in an era where everyday life, national security, and future growth engines all hinge on semiconductors. The problem is that this core industry is geographically concentrated to an extreme. In other words, the global semiconductor supply chain is dominated by a handful of countries—and that network can be shaken at any time by political conflict or military confrontation. That’s why it’s now widely labeled a “supply-chain risk.” --- 1) Each Country’s Monopoly Role The semiconductor industry isn’t structured so that one country does everything end-to-end. Instead, the long value chai...