[News] U.S. Lawmakers Reportedly Ask Five Top Chip Equipment Makers to Disclose China Shipment Details

According to MoneyDJ, citing Reuters, the U.S. government is actively working to curb the development of China’s semiconductor industry.

Republican Congressman John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, along with senior Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, jointly sent letters to five semiconductor equipment manufacturers: ASML, Applied Materials, KLA, Lam Research, and Tokyo Electron. The lawmakers requested information on sales to China, arguing that China is using advanced semiconductor equipment to strengthen its military and is supplying chips to the Russian military, thereby threatening international order and security, as the Reuters report noted.

The report from MoneyDJ indicated that the U.S. government intends to expand the scope of export controls, including tightening the Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR) to prevent China from obtaining advanced equipment for military purposes, which would prohibit the export of semiconductor equipment containing U.S. technology to China.

However, this legislation has been delayed due to strong opposition from Japan and the Netherlands, as it would significantly impact the operations of semiconductor equipment manufacturers, as the report from MoneyDJ indicated.

On the other hand, as reported by the Financial Times, TSMC has informed Chinese companies that it will cease production of the most advanced AI chips at 7nm or below for Chinese customers starting on November 11. This decision is seen as a direct response to concerns about China’s access to cutting-edge technology. The report suggests that TSMC’s tightening and cessation of advanced chip supplies to Chinese clients could set back the AI ambition of major Chinese tech companies such as Alibaba and Baidu.

Read more

• [News] TSMC Reportedly to Halt 7nm and Below Chip Shipments to China’s AI Firms Next Week
• [News] China’s Chipmaking Equipment Spending Likely to Drop below USD 40 Billion in 2025 amid U.S. Tensions

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