中國就晶片製造出口管制和製裁向美國提出關注

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

China raises concerns with US over chip-making export controls, sanctions

Updated Thu, January 11, 2024 at 8:08 a.m. PST

By Joe Cash

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao expressed concern over U.S. curbs preventing third countries from exporting lithography machines to China during a phone call with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo on Thursday, his ministry said.

Washington has used export controls to cut off China's access to advanced chips and chip-making tools that could fuel breakthroughs in AI and sophisticated computers for its military. It has also lobbied allies with key suppliers to adopt similar curbs.

"Wang Wentao focussed on the United States' restrictions on third-party exports of lithography machines to China, a (U.S.)investigation into the legacy chip supply chain, and sanctions that suppress Chinese enterprises," a Commerce Ministry statement said.

Netherlands, home to the world's leading chip equipment maker ASML, was one of the countries involved. On Jan. 1, ASML said the Dutch government had revoked an export licence covering the shipment of some of its equipment to China.

ASML's most sophisticated machines - extreme ultraviolet "EUV" lithography machines - are already restricted and have never been shipped to China.

New U.S. export bans in October then stopped ASML from even sending older models of its DUV semiconductor equipment to China.

China was ASML's biggest market in the third quarter of 2023, and responsible for 46% of the company's sales.

"We are deeply concerned by the direct involvement of the United States in interfering with the export of lithography machines by Dutch companies to China," Shu Jueting, a commerce ministry spokesperson, said at a press conference on Thursday.

"China firmly opposes the U.S. instrumentalising and weaponising export control issues, and even wantonly interfering in normal trade... we urge the Dutch side to respect the spirit of the contract," she added.

Commerce Minister Wang's discussion with Raimondo also highlights Beijing's concern at a U.S. Department of Commerce survey into how U.S. companies are sourcing so-called legacy chips - current-generation and mature-node semiconductors - as the department moves to award nearly $40 billion in subsidies for semiconductor chips manufacturing.

The department said the survey aims to reduce national security risks posed by China and will focus on the use and sourcing of Chinese-manufactured legacy chips in the supply chains of critical U.S. industries.

Wang and Raimondo also discussed the boundary between national security concerns and trade and economic cooperation, China's commerce ministry said.

(Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista and Liz Lee; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Angus MacSwan)

Translation

北京（路透社） - 中國商務部表示，中國商務部部長王文濤週四在與美國商務部長雷蒙多的電話中對美國阻止第三國向中國出口光刻機的限制措施表示關注。

華盛頓利用出口管制來切斷中國獲得先進晶片和晶片製造工具的機會，這些晶片和晶片製造工具可能會推動其軍隊在人工智能和先進電腦方面取得突破。 它也遊說有這類主要供應商的盟友採取類似的限制措施。

商務部聲明稱， “王文濤重點介紹了美國對第三方向中國出口光刻機的限制、 (美國) 對傳統晶片供應鏈的調查, 以及對中國企業的製裁和打壓。

荷蘭是全球領先晶片設備製造商ASML的所在地，也是參與其限制的國家之一。 1月1日，ASML表示荷蘭政府已吊銷部分設備運往中國的出口許可。

ASML最先進的機器 - 極紫外線「EUV」光刻機 - 已經受到限制，從未運往中國。

美國 10 月的新出口禁令又阻止了 ASML 向中國發送舊型號的 DUV 半導體設備。

2023年第三季度，中國是ASML最大的市場，佔該公司銷售額的46%。

商務部發言人Shu Jueting 在周四的新聞發布會上表示： “我們對美國直接幹預荷蘭企業向中國出口光刻機深表關切。”

她又補充: “中方堅決反對美方將出口管制問題工具化、武器化，甚至肆意幹預正常貿易……我們敦促荷方尊重契約精神。”

商務部長王毅與雷蒙多的討論也凸顯了北京方面對美國商務部一項關於美國公司如何採購所謂傳統晶片（當前一代和成熟節點半導體）的調查的擔憂，因為美國商務部會提供近400 億美元以補貼半導體晶片的製造。

美國商務部表示，該調查旨在減少中國構成的國家安全風險，並將重點放在美國關鍵產業供應鏈之中關於中國製造的傳統晶片的使用和採購。

中國商務部表示，王毅和雷蒙多也討論了國家安全担憂與經貿合作之間的界線。

       So, China is expressing concern over U.S. curbs preventing third countries from exporting lithography machines to China. My understanding is that China has already dumping billions of dollars into their research and develop for the production of their own integrated circuits (ICs).

Note:

 “Legacy” Chips or so called “Legacy” or “mainstream” semiconductor-based integrated circuits (ICs) are made using established—but still evolving—manufacturing processes, typically with larger transistors etched on each chip.