Imagine you're trying to build a top-secret superweapon. You need the most powerful components available, but you're under strict sanctions. What do you do? You sneak around, you lie, you cheat, and you try to get your hands on whatever you can. "This component is essential to our project. I need you to replicate it, regardless of the cost." That's basically what Huawei, the Chinese tech giant, has been doing. They've been trying to get their hands on advanced chips that they can use to build their AI systems. And they've been doing it in secret, using all sorts of sneaky tricks. One of the tricks they've been using is to get other companies to make the chips for them. They've been approaching companies like TSMC, a Taiwanese chipmaker, and asking them to produce chips that are similar to the ones they're not allowed to make themselves. It's like trying to build a Ferrari by asking a Honda dealership to make you a car that looks like a F...