China has just announced controls on exports of rare minerals - gallium and germanium - whose production it dominates and which are essential for the manufacture of electronic components.

The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and consequent supply chain disruptions in the energy sector have exposed critical vulnerabilities in the European Union’s broader strategic autonomy agenda and bolstered efforts at lessening strategic dependency on third states in a variety of areas , from raw materials, batteries and active pharmaceutical ingredients to hydrogen, semiconductors, and cloud and edge technologies.

The United States are ramping up its efforts to deny China access to the most advanced semiconductors powering smartphones, personal computers and the latest generation of supercomputers. 

Disagreements have opened up about strategy when China is also seen as an existential threat. Western powers in the G7 group of nations are failing to coordinate their China strategies, senior western officials admit, adding that the need to do so has been given sharp impetus by Xi Jinping’s consolidation of power at this month’s Communist party congress.

Following assertions of OpenRAN solutions offering costs cuts and shortcuts to 5G and even claims of superior security, a series of reports from governments, scientific labs, security expert and think tanks investigate the technology. They showcase perspectives from the United State, the European Union, and emerging countries.

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of accelerating the digital transformation of both the industry and the society.