The White House launches a task force on sourcing chips, raw materials and other key products. And it is preparing to strengthen countermeasures against states that adopt unfair practices. China is once again in the sights.
On Tuesday, June 8, the US administration released the results of an investigation into global supply chains, ordered in February by President Joe Biden. The aim was to assess the risks of the country’s dependence on the import of strategic goods, semiconductors, batteries, rare earths, drugs and active ingredients. The report (250 pages) recommends increasing manufacturing production and reducing dependence on strategic competitors, such as China.
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Reverse the free market
With a reverse from the free market ideology: “For too long, the US – we read – has accepted certain aspects of globalization as inevitable, in particular the fear that businesses and capital run wherever there are wages, taxes and lower regulations ”. According to the document, it is time to introduce “taxes, labor protections, environmental standards, which help make globalization work for Americans as workers and families and not simply as consumers.”
La task force
The new task force on supply chains will be led by the ministers of trade, agriculture and transport. It will have to identify areas where supply and demand are not aligned, in sectors such as building and construction, semiconductors, transportation, agriculture and food. With an eye to the vulnerabilities that have emerged in recent months and the long-term goal of preventing them from happening again.
Chips, batteries and drugs
It’s all part of a broader strategy, wanted by Biden to make the country more autonomous. Starting with semiconductors, for which the White House has asked Congress for $ 50 billion in research and production funding. Parliament is examining a package of measures that allocates around 250 billion for new technologies: chips are a key chapter.