Microsoft President Smith says US and China are amid a ‘tech Cold War’ which may flare up soon

Washington: Microsoft President Brad Smith indicated of a tech Cold War as he said, ‘Increasingly in Washington, Brussels, Berlin, Paris, and Beijing itself, people are asking: ‘Are we heading toward a new Cold War? A tech Cold War?’ That is one of the questions the 2020s will answer.’ Simultaneously, the Microsoft President informed that a senior US official had confessed that a race for technological supremacy had already begun between the United States and China.

‘tech Cold War’, race for technological supremacy, Brad Smith, Microsoft President, political pressure, US, China, Huawei

Trade war has been raging between the United States and China for the last two years. Recently, an agreement was signed to suspend the trade war temporarily. Officials and experts in both the countries believe the deal, although approved, for the time being, may not last very long. Despite initiating the process to end the trade war, some officials expressed fears over a faceoff between the United States and China in other sectors.

The mention of the tech Cold War by the Microsoft President also indicates the same. While talking about the Cold War, Smith expressed regret that both countries had made the situation difficult for tech firms. ‘Both nations, the United States and China, have framed such laws that they make it harder for tech companies from the other country to access its local market. Even though Phase-1 of the trade deal is signed, the tensions the sector is facing do not look likely to ease anytime soon,’ Smith warned.

US President Trump has begun imposing new laws and restrictions, expressing fears over China possibly surpassing the United States in the technology sector. Also, the US Congress has passed legislation to prevent the easy transfer of advanced and critical technology to China from the US tech companies. US is in the effort to stop the Chinese investments in US’ advanced technology sector. At the same time, China has made it mandatory for the US firms to share information and technology against which the tech companies had voiced their displeasure.

Presently, the tech sector is widely discussing 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, while China intends to surpass the United States based on its strength in the areas. The Chinese government has thus provided significant funds to the Chinese companies and has adopted an aggressive stand to expand in countries other than the United States. The issue concerning the Chinese tech firm Huawei is a fresh instance of it, and the United States has started using political pressure to stop the expansion of the company in the 5G market.

China also has adopted an extreme stand on the issue and resolved not to retreat under any circumstances. As claimed by the Microsoft President, the tech Cold War may flareup significantly soon.

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