Wednesday, September 14th 2022
US Strengthens China Export Bans, Limiting Access to Manufacturing Technology
The US Department of Commerce is in the process of increasing the stranglehold in tech exports directed to Chinese shores. The move is being made through the delivery of letters to US-based technology companies - namely KLA Corp, Lam Research Corp and Applied Materials Inc. - ordering them to stop the export of machines and equipment that can be used for sub-14 nm manufacturing. The move by the Department of Commerce only has validity for the companies that have been served by such a letter - at least until the Department codifies its newest regulations.
This means that only sellers with approved export licenses can keep doing business with Beijing, thus limiting the US companies China can work with as it aims to achieve at least a degree of self-sufficiency in the latest chipmaking tech. Perhaps the decision has come too late, however, as China's mainstay silicon manufacturing, SMIC, already manufactures chips at the 14 nm process (chips that have been deployed in China's Tinahu Light supercomputer already) and has even showcased manufacturing capability in the 7 nm field. It pays to remember that the US already had applied similar restrictions on equipment experts to China for the better part of two years - which apparently did little to stem China's capability to create increasingly denser semiconductor designs.
Source:
The Register
This means that only sellers with approved export licenses can keep doing business with Beijing, thus limiting the US companies China can work with as it aims to achieve at least a degree of self-sufficiency in the latest chipmaking tech. Perhaps the decision has come too late, however, as China's mainstay silicon manufacturing, SMIC, already manufactures chips at the 14 nm process (chips that have been deployed in China's Tinahu Light supercomputer already) and has even showcased manufacturing capability in the 7 nm field. It pays to remember that the US already had applied similar restrictions on equipment experts to China for the better part of two years - which apparently did little to stem China's capability to create increasingly denser semiconductor designs.
21 Comments on US Strengthens China Export Bans, Limiting Access to Manufacturing Technology
Without context I can say I run fast would the newspaper contact Usain Bolt for a comment, context.
And then people in TPU comments and reddit threads whining about "b-but China is STEALING our IP!" absolutely tickle me. Yeah? And? And what do you mean "our" IP? You don't own any of this, you don't profit from it, you aren't involved or even tangentially connected to Apple's IP, or Intel's, or AMD's, or anyone else's. Why exactly should I care that these enormous, multinational, billion dollar companies who are given preferential treatment by every aspect of government compared to small businesses or, ya know, the public, are getting "hurt"? And why do *you* care? It just baffles me when people lick the boots of, of all things, corporations. Enormous, faceless, anti-public corporations. Just baffling.
Would I ever want to live in China? Absolutely not. But I wish them well in their chip and electronic manufacturing, even if most of the advancement comes from IP theft. In fact, *especially* if most of the advancement comes from IP theft, because it makes greedy corporations and their bizarrely protective foot soldier consumers seethe. These corporations hate the public and only want to extract as much wealth as possible, and you want me to defend them?
Lol. Lmao, even.
Not sure you care though given your declared indifference. You are just ranting to rant.
Yes, this is just a stalling tactic.
Semiconductor manufacturing is a race.
Guess what works in races?
People take war to lightly this days, even a cold one.
And do not even mention anything about "defending democracy"... When has the US ever defended democracy in its long-time ally Saudi Arabia? How strongly did the US defend democracy and self-determination for the Palestinians? I think we both know the answers to those questions. Why was South Korea a military dictatorship until the late 1980s with full US backing (similar situation in Chile under Pinochet). I can go on and on.
I guess the US gets in middle of almost anything anywhere, all of Europe, most of Asia, Africa, South America, that the line becomes blurry and all is a US affair.