TAIPEI – Taiwan’s Ministry of Commerce has included Chinese chipmakers Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) on its export control list, amid escalating trade and technology tensions involving the self-governing island, China, and the United States.
Being added to the “strategic high-tech commodities” list requires Taiwanese companies to obtain export permits before selling products to these firms. Other entities on the list include groups such as the Taliban and al-Qaeda, as well as various companies from China, Iran, and other nations.
The export control entities list was last updated on Sunday. Neither Huawei nor SMIC initially commented on their inclusion.
Both Huawei and SMIC have faced U.S. sanctions. These companies are developing China’s most advanced domestically produced artificial intelligence chips to rival U.S.-based Nvidia and provide Chinese tech companies with crucial chips in light of the export restrictions.
Taiwan is home the world’s largest chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), a major supplier for Nvidia.
Last November, 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.
China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory, to be annexed by force if necessary. The U.S. is Taiwan’s biggest unofficial ally and arms seller.
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