Chinese companies produce those chips, that explanation makes little sense. Rather than the companies "hoarding", it may be they're simply not exporting as much to the US and Europe anymore, for political reasons. Any major company in China is under CCP supervision and towing the party line. It's not like it's a free market where private corporations do as they please.

Turns out relying on a single region and in that region mainly on a single country for producing most essential goods wasn't such a good idea. Especially when said country is ruled by a rival regime.

https://archive.is/0LTBa from financial times seems to suggest a lot of hoarding is going on.

But the shortage has been worsened by hoarding by sanctions-hit Chinese groups, which has made it harder for some companies to secure components for everyday electronics such as washing machines and toasters.

It does highlight the problem with having the origins of your supply chains in a potentially unfriendly country.