At a press conference on September 13, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning answered a reporter’s question about the Biden administration’s plans to expand restrictions on semiconductor exports to the China with a fiery response:
“What the US is doing is technological hegemony, absolutely. The United States is trying to use its technological superiority to contain and suppress emerging markets and developing nations. The United States pays lip service to fair competition and a rules-based order, but its actions are about “America First” and “May the Strongest Win.” The US wants to keep developing nations, including China, at the bottom end of the industrial chain in perpetuity, which is not constructive at all.” [Chinese]
The People’s Daily quickly launched the Weibo hashtag #USRestrictionsOnSemiconductorChipExportsAreTechnologicalHegemony (#美国电影电视的出口是科技霸权主主#), which attracted a statement of “machinery avalanches and criticisms” that attracted a lot of technological criticisms and avalanches. Netizens were initially surprised that there was no more censorship of comments, although comments under the hashtag were eventually restricted to Weibo accounts verified with “blue verification marks”. CDT editors have archived and translated a selection of the comments that appeared before the censors intervened:
No Name – 201008:[It’s like when] I offended my neighbor and they changed his wifi password, and then when I couldn’t connect I spent the whole day cursing them.
很饵了：If they sell you, it is “technological imperialism”. If they don’t sell you, it’s “technological hegemony”. If they give it away, suspect they have “ulterior motives”. If they don’t give it away, it’s a “technological empowerment”. Can’t someone step up and explain that no matter what happens, no matter what the setback, China will always claim it is “winning”?
[…] 城春枫林晚：We spent decades and wasted tens of billions, so where are all these semiconductors we made? However, we can hit them with a reciprocal ban: ban the export of real estate, ban the export of nucleic acid COVID testing technology, and soon we will have these Americans on their knees.
[…] City Spring Maple Forest Night:[…] Other people have things that you lack. Giving things to others is a favor, not an obligation. So instead of whining like a weakling about the “hegemony” of others, how about putting your shoulder to the wheel and investing enough manpower and material resources to continue building your own strength? Those left behind will be defeated. This has been true for over a century.
[…] 千城74337: Not daring to open the comment section is also “technological hegemony”.
黑北人：Next time, turn off the “share” function and you will unite the whole country [against you].
[…] 南宫潇湘小林：They are restricting semiconductor chips, you are restricting comments, isn’t this a case of the pot calling the kettle black? What, are you afraid that everyone can see what people really think?
IT charm：Two years ago, the government introduced a policy to subsidize the semiconductor industry. Within a year, ten thousand companies had entered the semiconductor industry and we still have nothing to show for it. It’s like “making steel in backyard furnaces” again.
[…] 普雷结与酒：After reading the comments for about ten minutes, I refreshed the page, and this time all the comments were negative.
[…] 王博鑫wbx：I want an A-class student to take the college entrance exam in my place. If the watchman does not allow it, is he being hegemonic? [Chinese]
