Intel says customers stockpiling chips on U.S.-China tension, hikes forecast

What an interesting way to goad people into quickly buying more of their products. Scarcity and impending expense are prime motivators - the very reason so many people fill their tanks every time gas prices spike, instead of simply keeping it topped up when gas is cheap.

China's manufacturing firms add a ton of value in the tech supply chain. It's not like fashion where processes are lower-skill and can easily be transitioned between countries and regions based on shifting headwinds.

It will be very difficult, expensive, and painful for chipmakers to untangle China from their supply chains. It's not all bad though, having a shorter supply chain closer to consumer markets can do wonders for lead times and for the configure to order model that's increasingly expected by shoppers.