On August 6 local time, Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would impose tariffs of approximately 100% on chips and semiconductors. Trump stated that no fees would be charged if the products were manufactured in the U.S. Speaking to reporters at the White House that day, Trump said this tariff rate would apply to "all chips and semiconductors entering the U.S.," but not to companies that have already committed to or initiated procedures to manufacture related products in the U.S.

On the same day, Trump and Apple CEO Tim Cook also announced at the White House that Apple plans to invest an additional $100 billion in the U.S. Local media analysis suggests this is Apple's latest move to avoid tariffs by committing to relocate part of its supply chain back to the U.S.

According to a report by CRI Global Insights, He Weiwen, a standing director of the China Society for WTO Studies and a senior researcher at the Center for China and Globalization, believes that the U.S. imposing approximately 100% tariffs on imported chips and semiconductors is undoubtedly a "double-edged sword." On one hand, it may force some companies to return to or invest in the U.S.; on the other hand, it could accelerate "de-Americanization." U.S. companies may shift overseas production to local markets, while foreign companies may avoid the U.S. market and build local supply chains, ultimately weakening America's global industrial position.

A research report by Boston Consulting Group years ago already warned that if the U.S. forcibly relocates the semiconductor industry, its chip industry scale could drop to second or third place in the world. This is because the chip industry consists of seven globally distributed segments, including design, equipment, materials, wafers, and packaging and testing. According to the WTO's Global Value Chain Report, the U.S. accounts for only 35% of the global supply chain. Such a coercive policy would prompt other countries to bypass the U.S. and build non-American supply chain systems, potentially further eroding the U.S. position in the global integrated circuit market.

He Weiwen further analyzed that the success of large U.S. tech companies heavily relies on overseas markets. Once the new tariff policy is implemented, it will undoubtedly impact these companies.

Taking Apple as an example, in 2023, its overseas markets accounted for over 60% of total sales. It is precisely by leveraging global market deployment and transnational supply chain integration that the company maintains its industry-leading position. If Apple were to complete all production and assembly solely in the U.S., its products would lose international competitiveness, and its market scale would shrink drastically.