A senior Chinese official informed US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo of China’s rejection of American measures aimed at limiting China’s access to advanced chip-making technology, stating that this represents a point of contention in the relations between the two countries, according to a report by the German News Agency.
The Ministry of Commerce of China said in a statement that Minister Wang Wentao expressed “deep concern” about the US actions during contact with his American counterpart regarding Washington’s pressure on the Dutch firm ASML Holding to halt delivery of some semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China.
The report, citing Bloomberg News Agency, mentioned that the US Department of Commerce is responsible for enforcing the restrictions imposed by the United States on exports to any country.
Earlier, ASML Holding canceled a deal to sell some of its equipment to China in response to a request from the administration of US President Joe Biden, weeks before the decision to ban the export of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China came into effect.
The Dutch company had previously obtained a license to sell 3 of its most advanced chip-making machines to Chinese companies, before the Dutch government’s ban on exporting this equipment to China took effect in January.
Wang highlighted Chinese concerns regarding the US restrictions on exporting third-party lithography machines to China, and the investigation into the supply chains of advanced chips, as well as the US sanctions on Chinese companies and the repression against such firms.
The two sides also discussed the limits of national security in economic and commercial fields between China and the United States.
US officials are considering imposing tariffs on low-cost Chinese chips, Bloomberg reported.
In August, President Joe Biden signed an executive order banning some new US investments in China in sensitive technologies like computer chips, and requires government notification in cases of investment in other technology sectors. Meanwhile, Beijing has accused Washington of using technology and trade issues as a weapon against it.
