This allowed Washington to develop business ties and strategic alliances in a region vulnerable to Russian influence during the Cold War. It"s just as useful now, in the face of Beijing"s growing influence in the Asia Pacific.The race is on to make the best and most efficient chips at scale - and the smaller, the better. The challenge: how many transistors - tiny electrical switches that can turn a current on or off - can you fit onto the smallest bit of a silicon wafer?