China is increasing imports of equipment for the production of chips – Kommersant

Chinese customs data show that the country imported nearly $5 billion worth of microchip manufacturing equipment in June and July, up 70% from the same period last year. This is reported Financial Times. The largest exporters are the Netherlands and Japan. The increase in imports occurred just before the two countries introduced restrictions on the supply of equipment for the production of microchips. The Japanese measures came into effect on July 23, while the Dutch ones will come into force on September 1. The restrictive measures in both cases mean that buyers of certain types of equipment must apply for a special permit to import them into China.

“This is one of the Chinese responses to… export restrictions in the Netherlands and Japan. China has increased stockpiles of semiconductor manufacturing equipment to facilitate (them.— “b”) potential consequences,” said Lucy Chen, vice president of Taiwanese research firm Isaiah Research.

The US and some of its allies are taking drastic measures to curb China’s ability to build next-generation chips. However, as informed “Kommersant”, these efforts may not be too successful. Chinese authorities are ramping up aid to local chip makers, including Huawei. A possible calculation is that by increasing production of even less advanced chips, manufacturing companies will gain the necessary knowledge and ability to produce more advanced chips, as has already happened with other manufacturers such as Samsung and TSMC.

Andrey Kelekeyev