China's Global Ambition Creates American Insecurity: China is pivoting from a manufacturing-centric role to a leader in invention, aiming to ascend the global economic hierarchy. However, this strategic transition has prompted global leaders, primarily the U.S., to protect their technological edge. While the U.S. has escalated restrictions, especially concerning high-end semiconductor technology, the race for innovation supremacy continues. As China progresses towards the 7nm technological threshold, we assert that its progress is more dependent on imitation than genuine innovation. The resilience and depth of China's financial backing for this transition remain pivotal. Strategically, underestimating China's capabilities to develop independent technology poses a higher risk than overestimating them.