📊Executive Summary

The article discusses the ongoing semiconductor export controls between the United States and China, highlighting the strategic implications for global supply chains. In 2025, the U.S. expanded its export controls on advanced semiconductor technology to China, which retaliated with licensing requirements on rare earth materials. This geopolitical tension has significant implications for procurement, as it affects access to critical technologies and materials. The article emphasizes that the U.S. semiconductor choke point is more sustainable than China's rare earth leverage, suggesting that procurement teams should closely monitor these developments and their impact on sourcing strategies....