The US plans to impose sanctions on Chinese companies. Photo: unsplash.com
The United States is taking new measures to tighten restrictions on semiconductor chip shipments to China, part of the Biden administration’s broader strategy to limit China’s access to the latest technologies that could be used to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and military technology.
According to Reuters, the United States plans to impose a third wave of restrictions affecting 140 Chinese companies, including key chipmakers. The restrictions will prohibit the supply of US technology without appropriate licences to about 20 Chinese chipmakers, two investment companies and more than 100 suppliers of equipment for the semiconductor industry.
Among the largest companies subject to the new sanctions are Chinese manufacturers Naura Technology Group, Piotech and SiCarrier Technology. In addition, the US intends to tighten restrictions on China’s largest contract chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC), which was blacklisted in 2020.
Western countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Israel and South Korea, are also subject to these restrictions on products manufactured in their territory. However, the Netherlands and Japan remain an exception, as these countries, together with the US, are leading manufacturers of chip manufacturing equipment.
These measures are part of the US efforts to limit China’s potential in the field of advanced technologies that can be used for military purposes, in particular in the context of artificial intelligence.
