Taiwan Adds Huawei, SMic to Export Control List
Taiwan’s commerce ministry has included Chinese chipmakers Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) on its export control list, effective Sunday, as trade and technology tensions between the self-ruled island, China, and the U.S. continue to escalate.
The inclusion on the “strategic high-tech commodities” list means Taiwanese companies will now need to obtain export permits before selling goods to these companies. Other entities on this list include organizations such as the Taliban and al-Qaida, as well as other companies based in China, Iran, and elsewhere.
Huawei and SMIC, both previously sanctioned by the U.S., are currently producing China’s most advanced homegrown artificial intelligence chips. Their efforts are aimed at competing with U.S.-based Nvidia and supplying Chinese tech firms with much-needed chips amid existing export curbs.
Taiwan is notably home to the world’s largest chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), a major supplier for Nvidia. In November last year, the U.S. 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.
The geopolitical tensions are further complicated by China’s claim over self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. The U.S., being Taiwan’s biggest unofficial ally and arms seller, plays a significant role in the regional dynamics.
The development comes at a time when technology and trade frictions are on the rise, with significant implications for the global semiconductor industry and international relations.
