China’s scientists are going on the offensive against US chip sanctions as the country tries to keep its semiconductor industry running.

The US has been working to restrict China’s access to advanced chip technologies and has increasingly been convincing its allies to do the same. Some reports have suggested China’s semiconductor industry is on the verge of collapse as a result, and Beijing is pouring billions into the industry to help it weather the challenges.

According to Bloomberg, China’s scientists are now joining the fray, coming up with ways to compete with the US. One of the leading strategies put forth by two academics is to amass a portfolio of patents that could be weaponized in the semiconductor wars. In their proposal, Luo Junwei and Li Shushen said the country’s scientists should focus on patenting materials and methods necessary for the next generation of chip design.

“We should vigorously promote the spirit of scientists who pursue originality and resist low-level, repetitive follow-up research,” the scientists wrote.

This development is just the latest that illustrates the high-stakes nature of the semiconductor industry and why countries are increasingly viewing the industry as a matter of national security.