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The 'Small Yard, High Fence' Doctrine: How the US Leverages Targeted Tech Controls Against China

An analysis of the United States' 'small yard, high fence' strategy, detailing how targeted semiconductor export bans and investment screenings aim to protect national security without full economic decoupling from China.

The 'Small Yard, High Fence' Doctrine: How the US Leverages Targeted Tech Controls Against China

In recent decades, United States policy toward China has shifted dramatically from constructive engagement to strategic competition. Rather than pursuing a sweeping, across-the-board economic decoupling that could destabilize the global economy, Washington has increasingly structured its technology competition around a framework known as the "small yard, high fence" doctrine.

What Does 'Small Yard, High Fence' Mean?

Popularized by U.S. national security officials, the "small yard, high fence" metaphor defines the scope and intensity of technology restrictions. The concept rests on two foundational principles:

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