Chinese chip manufacturer confused at accusations of involvement with the Chinese military
Reuters claims the US Department of Commerce has “imposed further restrictions” on Chinese chip manufacturer, SMIC.
According to Reuters Suppliers of certain equipment to Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation 0981.HK will now have to apply for individual export licenses, according to a letter from the Commerce Department dated Friday and seen by Reuters.
This shifts US policy away from earlier this year, when applicants seeking “military end user” licenses to sell to SMIC were told by the Department that the licenses weren’t necessary, according to three people familiar with the matter.
SMIC denies any knowledge of changes. In early September the company declared that it was “a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Sci-Tech Innovation Board (STAR Market), is an international semiconductor foundry strictly complying with the laws and regulations of all jurisdictions where it performs its businesses”.
“SMIC plays an important role in the global semiconductor supply chain,” the company stated. “The Company manufactures semiconductors and provides services solely for civilian and commercial end-users and end-uses.”
It declared it had “no relationship with the Chinese military” and that in and before 2016, SMIC had been granted Validated End-User (VEU) authorisation by the Bureau of Industry and Security.
“Any assumptions of the Company’s ties with the Chinese military are untrue statements and false accusations,” noted SMIC.
