The chains

1. NvidiaUnited States

   ≈92% of the datacenter GPU market (revenue)

   IoT Analytics, 2024estimation

2. CoWoSTaiwan

   2024–2025 capacity booked by Nvidia + AMD alone

   Wccftech (rapportant TSMC), 2024estimation

3. ABF filmJapan

   ≈95% of global ABF insulating film (80–98% depending on scope)

   Ajinomoto Fine-Techno, fiche produit ABFestimation

4. PhotoresistsJapanthe chokepoint

   ≈91% of advanced photoresists (Japanese producers)

   SemiAnalysis, 2024estimation

   ⚠ simulate the break

Without these photoresists, no leading-edge AI chip gets etched. No equivalent plan B.

1. TSMCTaiwan

   ≈74% of wafer revenue in advanced nodes (Q4 2024)

   TSMC (communiqué), 2025solide

2. ASMLNetherlands

   100% of the EUV lithography market

   ASML, 2022estimation

3. Zeiss SMTGermanythe chokepoint

   Sole supplier of ASML's EUV optics

   ASML / SEC 20-F, 2012solide

   ⚠ simulate the break

Without Zeiss optics, ASML halts, and all leading-edge lithography with it.

1. CATLChina

   China ≈59–72% of lithium refining · ≈90% of graphite

   AIE Global Critical Minerals Outlook, 2024solide

2. Battery cathodesChina

   China ~85% of cathode materials (LFP ~99%; NMC >75%); Korea ~9%, a distant #2

   IEA, Global EV Outlook 2025 – EV batteriessolide

3. China refined cobaltChina

   China ~75-80% of world refined cobalt

   USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 — Cobaltsolide

4. CobaltDR Congothe chokepoint

   DRC >75% of global cobalt extraction

   USGS Cobalt MCS, 2025estimation

   ⚠ simulate the break

Cut China's cobalt refining: the cathode stops, and so does the battery.

1. Wind turbinesChina

   The top 4 global turbine makers were all Chinese in 2024, Goldwind #1 with over 20 GW installed (GWEC); China ≈ 94% of sintered permanent magnets (IEA, 2024)

   GWEC, 2025solide

2. JL MAGChina

   29,300 t of magnet blanks in 2024; world no. 1 in sintered NdFeB

   JL MAG, résultats annuels 2024solide

3. CN separationChina

   ≈90% of the world's refining of magnet rare earths; ≈99% of heavy separation

   IEA, 2025solide

4. Bayan OboChinathe chokepoint

   ≈90% of NdFeB magnets · monopoly on Dy/Tb separation

   AIE — Rare Earth Elements, 2025solide

   ⚠ simulate the break

Without Chinese separation, no NdFeB magnet: no electric motor, no wind turbine.

1. Generic APIsChina

   China + India ≈66% of generic APIs (volume); ≈22.6% of EU API imports come from China

   US Pharmacopeia, Quality Mattersestimation

2. 6-APA antibioticsChinathe chokepoint

   ≈80-90% of the world's antibiotic APIs; ≈90% of 6-APA capacity, 5 of the 7 global sites

   Council on Geostrategy, 2024estimation

   ⚠ simulate the break

Without Chinese 6-APA, the world's semi-synthetic penicillin collapses.

1. China solar PVChina

   Over 80% of global capacity at each stage; near 95% for polysilicon and wafers; Xinjiang ≈ 40% of world polysilicon (IEA, 2022)

   IEA, 2022solide

2. Silicon metalChinathe chokepoint

   China ~80% of world silicon (silicon materials)

   USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025 — Siliconsolide

   ⚠ simulate the break

Without Chinese silicon metal, no polysilicon and no solar panel.

1. GhawarSaudi Arabia

   Saudi Arabia ~12% of world oil output; Ghawar the largest conventional field

   EIA ; OPEC 2024solide

2. HormuzGolfe Persique

   ≈20% of global liquid oil consumption

   U.S. EIA (Today in Energy), 2025solide

3. MalaccaAsie du Sud-Estthe chokepoint

   ≈24% of all global maritime trade

   Wikipedia (citant Freeman, The Straits of Malacca, 2003)estimation

   ⚠ simulate the break

Close Hormuz: about a fifth of the world's oil stops flowing.

1. CMOS sensorsJapan

   Sony ~50% of smartphone CMOS image sensors (~42% of total CIS market)

   TechInsights, Smartphone Image Sensor Market Share Q2 2024solide

2. DisplaysSouth Korea

   Samsung Display leads OLED (~52% large-area), LG Display 2nd; BOE #1 panel maker (LCD)

   Omdia via OLED-Info, expéditions écrans 2024solide

3. MLCCJapanthe chokepoint

   ~4.3 trillion MLCC produced per year (Murata >40%, Samsung ~24%)

   TrendForce, MLCC demand 2024 (nov. 2023)solide

   ⚠ simulate the break

One link missing (sensor, display or capacitor) and the phone cannot be assembled.

1. Container freightSwitzerland

   MSC ≈ 20 % of the world container fleet, Maersk ≈ 14 %, CMA CGM ≈ 12 % ; top 3 > 45 % of capacity

   Alphaliner (Top 100), 2024estimation

2. MalaccaAsie du Sud-Est

   ≈24% of all global maritime trade

   Wikipedia (citant Freeman, The Straits of Malacca, 2003)estimation

3. SuezEgyptthe chokepoint

   ≈10–12% of maritime trade · ≈22% of containers

   Atlantic Council (issue brief), 2025solide

   ⚠ simulate the break

Three carriers and two straits hold half the world's containers.