The rise of photonic technologies and advanced materials is not just a paradigm shift within science and the industrial landscape, but also a global reality within the sphere of great-power politics. These technologies are crucial to future applications in defense, communications, quantum computing, and energy systems, making them vital assets in 21st-century global politics. Accordingly, there is a race among great powers to nationalize and dominate these technologies to maximize their strategic edge. This paper examines how countries like the United States and China are changing governance strategies and are making efforts to control rare earth elements and other critical materials essential for photonics and advanced materials. Through a case study of semiconductor photonics and rare-earth materials, the paper analyzes how control over high-tech supply chains is becoming a key geopolitical issue. The argument is analyzed within the broader context of techno-nationalism, where technological capability is tightly coupled with national security and economic power. This rivalry has led to supply chain disruptions, which threaten economic stability and impede global scientific collaboration, reshaping research priorities and international scientific partnerships. Additionally, drawing on Socio-Technical Systems Theory, the paper argues these technologies are strategic assets integral to national innovation systems. The paper highlights how technology governance now entails controlling supply chains, shaping standards, and restructuring global Research and Development networks.