The United States (US) has launched its third major crackdown in three years on China's semiconductor market, imposing tough export restrictions on 140 companies, including chip makers such as Naura Technology Group, Piotech, and SiCarrier Technology.
The move is one of the last major efforts under the Biden administration to restrict China's ability to access and produce chips that could advance AI for military applications or threaten US national security.
The new rules limit exports of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips and chip-making tools from countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, while exempting allies such as Japan and the Netherlands.
The Biden administration also added 16 major Chinese firms to an "entity list," prohibiting US suppliers from trading with them without a special license.
China has been working hard to become self-reliant in the semiconductor sector but is still failing and lagging far behind industry giants such as Nvidia and ASML.
The sanctions also target Chinese private equity firms, including companies linked to Huawei, which is seen as key to Beijing’s cutting-edge technology aspirations.
The move comes weeks before former Republican President Donald Trump is sworn in, where he is expected to continue many of Biden’s tough measures against China.
With Malaysia and Singapore now also affected, the question is: Is this an opportunity for both countries to strengthen their position in global supply chains, or simply become pawns in a game of superpower chess?
