us-senator-introduces-chip-security-act

Addressing a long-standing bone of contention between the US and China, US Senator Tom Cotton has introduced the Chip Security Act which can prevent advanced American chips from falling into the “hands of adversaries like China.”

Tom Cotton is a Republican Senator from Arkansas.

In the background of US-China talks in Geneva to discuss resolution of the two countries’ tariff war, the senator said that the Chip Security Act, when enacted, will help improve oversight of advanced chips and direct the commerce and defence departments to study promising chip security mechanisms.

“We must do better at maintaining and expanding our position in the global market, while safeguarding America’s technological edge. With these enhanced security measures, we can continue to expand access to US technology without compromising our national security,” said Cotton, as per a statement on his website dated May 8.

The Chip Security Act would direct the Commerce Secretary to require a location verification mechanism on export-controlled advanced chips or products with export-controlled advanced chips withinsix months of enactment and require exporters of advanced chips to report to BIS if their products have been diverted away from their intended location or subject to tampering attempts.

The statement said the Act would also direct the Secretary to study, in coordination with the Secretary of Defence, other potential chip security mechanisms in the next year and establish requirements over the next few years for implementing such mechanisms, if appropriate, on covered advanced chips.

This longer timeline accommodates the years-long technological roadmap for developing the next generation of advanced chips.

It will help assess, in coordination with the Secretary of Defence, the most up-to-date security mechanisms annually for three years and determine if any new mechanisms should be required; make recommendations annually for three years on how to make export controls more flexible, thus streamlining shipments to more countries.

Last but crucial, the US senator said it will help prioritise confidentiality when developing requirements for chip security mechanisms.