Home / Business and Economy / U.S. Revokes Chip Equipment Authorizations, Reshaping Global Semiconductor Landscape
U.S. Revokes Chip Equipment Authorizations, Reshaping Global Semiconductor Landscape
29 Aug
Summary
- U.S. to make it harder for Samsung, SK Hynix, and Intel to produce chips in China
- Companies now need licenses to buy semiconductor manufacturing equipment in China
- Move may boost domestic Chinese equipment makers and U.S. rival Micron

In a significant move, the U.S. government has decided to revoke the authorizations that previously allowed major global chipmakers Samsung, SK Hynix, and Intel to produce chips in China. This change, set to take effect in 120 days, will now require these companies to obtain licenses to purchase semiconductor manufacturing equipment for their operations in China.
The decision is expected to have far-reaching implications. It will likely reduce sales of U.S. equipment makers such as KLA Corp, Lam Research, and Applied Materials, as the licensing requirement will make it more difficult for the chipmakers to acquire the necessary equipment. However, the move may also benefit domestic Chinese equipment manufacturers, whose tools could fill the gaps left by the U.S. restrictions.
Additionally, the change may provide a boost to Micron, a major U.S. competitor to South Korea's Samsung and SK Hynix in the memory chip sector. By making it more challenging for these rivals to operate in China, the U.S. government's actions could potentially strengthen Micron's position in the global semiconductor market.
The decision to revoke the previous authorizations is part of the U.S. government's broader efforts to tighten control over the export of semiconductor technology to China, which it sees as a strategic priority in the ongoing technological and geopolitical rivalry between the two countries.