Earlier quoted context omitted.
Another problem is anti-tampering measure is applied before the initial tampering check have been applied. Anyway, that wouldn't solve everything considering that if the chip itself is tampered with, that's undetectable short of an electron microscope analysis and even that wouldn't solve the problem of backdoor in the original chip design. As you say, that's un-winnable. The only way to really build trust is the cap…
> the real oblivion (destruction of shareholder value) with criminal charge for the company officers This very rarely happens even if people have got killed. Also, good luck suing a Chinese company in China.
At this point, I think it's fair to establish an industry watchdog group that works as a clearinghouse for knowing all the American companies sourcing parts from the PRC and which companies they source from. This watchdog organization would be responsible for blacklisting suppliers from the entire US market if they don't agree to adjudicate in the US or if they fail to meet that contractual obligation).
This won't bankrupt them outright, but it will sever them from the US and if this watchdog group expands to aid non-US companies, could help shut them out of the entire global market.
I would also require registration of all top executives of these corporations so that you would make the punishment sticky if they moved to other companies. Overall, you've got to set a high punitive cost to non-compliance and non-cooperation.