The US on Wednesday unveiled a fresh round of regulations aimed at keeping advanced chips produced by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) and other companies from making their way to China, one last attempt by US President Joe Biden’s administration to fill holes in the tech blockade of its geopolitical rival.
The new measures call for chip producers like TSMC and Samsung Electronics Co to step up their scrutiny and due diligence of customers, especially Chinese firms. That is an acknowledgment that advanced semiconductors are still making their way to China and Russia, including one incident where TSMC-made chips were secretly diverted to the blacklisted Huawei Technologies Co (華為).
The curbs impose sanctions on 16 Chinese companies that are “acting at the behest of Beijing” to build their country’s chip industry, the US Department of Commerce said in a press release. The list includes Sophgo Technologies Ltd (算能科技), which was allegedly involved in Huawei getting access to TSMC chips last year.
Photo: AFP
The US is also expanding licensing requirements on foundries — companies like TSMC that manufacture chips for external customers — and packaging companies seeking to export advanced semiconductors. The tougher rules apply unless the chips are for “trusted” customers that prove the processors fall below a defined performance threshold, or if the chips are packaged by approved assemblers that verify their technological capabilities.
“These rules will further target and strengthen our controls to help ensure that the PRC and others who seek to circumvent our laws and undermine US national security fail in their efforts,” US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement on Wednesday, referring to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“We will continue to safeguard our national security by restricting access to advanced semiconductors, aggressively enforcing our rules, and proactively addressing new and emerging threats,” she added.
The commerce department on Wednesday placed 25 China-based entities including Sophgo Technologies, alongside two Singapore ones, on a trade blacklist as well.
Companies added to the so-called Entity List are restricted from obtaining US items and technologies without a license.
Some of the Entity List additions were made because the businesses helped advance China’s military modernization through the development of artificial intelligence (AI) research, a government posting said.
Others were accused of aiding the development of advanced computing integrated circuits that further China’s progress in weapons systems, or posing a risk of diversion to Huawei — which has itself been blacklisted.
Such activities, according to the postings, were contrary to US national security and foreign policy interests.
The Biden administration is trying to cement its legacy in restricting the flow of advanced technologies to China in its final days in power. The Democratic team unveiled rounds of sweeping controls on the country’s access to chips and AI, and has poured out a series of last-minute rules before leaving office on Monday next week.
On Monday, the US published curbs that limit the sale of AI chips by the likes of Nvidia Corp and other advanced makers to data centers in most countries. The due diligence measures apply to semiconductor exports covered by those global restrictions.
The rules for AI chips follow controls announced last month that aim to cut off Beijing’s access to high-bandwidth memory chips, which are essential AI components. Wednesday’s regulations include some updates to those earlier measures.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the country “firmly opposed” the spate of US measures, adding that the recent rules “will only strengthen China’s confidence and ability to be self-reliant and technologically innovative.”
Additional reporting by AFP
Quanta Computer Inc (廣達) chairman Barry Lam (林百里) is expected to share his views about the artificial intelligence (AI) industry’s prospects during his speech at the company’s 37th anniversary ceremony, as AI servers have become a new growth engine for the equipment manufacturing service provider. Lam’s speech is much anticipated, as Quanta has risen as one of the world’s major AI server suppliers. The company reported a 30 percent year-on-year growth in consolidated revenue to NT$1.41 trillion (US$43.35 billion) last year, thanks to fast-growing demand for servers, especially those with AI capabilities. The company told investors in November last year that
Intel Corp has named Tasha Chuang (莊蓓瑜) to lead Intel Taiwan in a bid to reinforce relations between the company and its Taiwanese partners. The appointment of Chuang as general manager for Intel Taiwan takes effect on Thursday, the firm said in a statement yesterday. Chuang is to lead her team in Taiwan to pursue product development and sales growth in an effort to reinforce the company’s ties with its partners and clients, Intel said. Chuang was previously in charge of managing Intel’s ties with leading Taiwanese PC brand Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), which included helping Asustek strengthen its global businesses, the company
Taiwanese suppliers to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC, 台積電) are expected to follow the contract chipmaker’s step to invest in the US, but their relocation may be seven to eight years away, Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) said yesterday. When asked by opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭) in the legislature about growing concerns that TSMC’s huge investments in the US will prompt its suppliers to follow suit, Kuo said based on the chipmaker’s current limited production volume, it is unlikely to lead its supply chain to go there for now. “Unless TSMC completes its planned six
TikTok abounds with viral videos accusing prestigious brands of secretly manufacturing luxury goods in China so they can be sold at cut prices. However, while these “revelations” are spurious, behind them lurks a well-oiled machine for selling counterfeit goods that is making the most of the confusion surrounding trade tariffs. Chinese content creators who portray themselves as workers or subcontractors in the luxury goods business claim that Beijing has lifted confidentiality clauses on local subcontractors as a way to respond to the huge hike in customs duties imposed on China by US President Donald Trump. They say this Chinese decision, of which Agence
RSS