Chinese chipmakers Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) have been added to Taiwan’s export control list, updates last Sunday, said the country’s Commerce Ministry, indicating growing frictions in trade and technology between the self-ruled island; its ally, the US; and China.
Inclusion on the “strategic high-tech commodities” list means Taiwanese companies will need to obtain export permits before selling goods to the respective companies. Other entities on the list include organisations such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda, as well as other companies in China, Iran and elsewhere.
Neither Huawei nor SMIC initially commented on their inclusion.
Huawei and SMIC – both sanctioned by the US – produce China’s most advanced home-grown artificial intelligence chips in an effort to compete with US-based Nvidia and supply Chinese tech firms with the much-needed chips amid export curbs.
Taiwan is home to the world’s largest chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), a major supplier to Nvidia.
Last November, the US ordered TSMC to halt supplies of certain advanced chips to Chinese customers as part of broader efforts to restrict China’s access to cutting-edge technologies.
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. The US is Taiwan's biggest unofficial ally and arms seller.
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