Samsung wins US nod to ship chipmaking tools to China

SEOUL: The U.S. ‍government has granted an annual licence to ⁠Samsung Electronics to bring in chip manufacturing equipment to its facilities in China for 2026, a person ‌familiar ‌with the matter said on Tuesday.

The approval is a ‌temporary relief for the South Korean firm and follows a U.S. decision earlier this year to revoke licence waivers given to some tech ​companies.

The source said ​that Washington introduced the annual approval system ‌for exports ‍of chipmaking tools to ‍China.


Samsung, SK Hynix and TSMC had benefited from ‌exemptions to Washington's sweeping restrictions on chip-related exports to China. But the privilege known as validated end user status will end on December 31, meaning shipments of American chipmaking tools to ‍their factories in China after that date will require U.S. export ‍licences.

Samsung, ⁠SK and ⁠TSMC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Keen to limit China's access to advanced American technology, U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has been re-examining export controls that it thought were too relaxed under the Biden administration.