A U.S. official told top global semiconductor makers he wanted to revoke waivers they have used to access American technology in China, people familiar with the matter said, a move that could inflame trade tensions.
Currently, South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as well as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing enjoy blanket waivers that allow them to ship American chip-making equipment to their factories in China without applying for a separate license each time. Jeffrey Kessler, head of the unit in charge of export controls at the Commerce Department, told the three companies this week he wanted to cancel those waivers, according to people familiar with the meetings. They said Kessler described the action as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on critical U.S. technology going to China. If carried out, the move could be disruptive both diplomatically and economically. Earlier this month, the U.S. and China agreed to a fragile trade truce in London. Part of the deal involved each country agreeing to hold off from introducing new export controls and other measures designed to hurt the other. The action isn’t a new trade escalation but would be designed to make the licensing system for chip equipment similar to what China has in place for rare-earth materials, White House officials said. The U.S. and China continue to make progress on completing the agreement they reached in London and negotiating on trade, they said.

Full exclusive : An official told Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC that the US wants to revoke waivers that let them ship American chipmaking equipment to Chinese factories.