U.S. Calls for Stronger Measures on Advanced Semiconductor Supply to China’s Huawei

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has pledged to take the “strongest possible” action to protect its national security in response to the launch of Huawei’s smartphone that utilizes advanced semiconductors.

In an interview with Bloomberg released on the 11th (local time), Secretary Raimondo expressed deep concern about Huawei’s smartphone.

Raimondo hinted at a new investigation on Huawei, stating, “Every time we see something concerning, we investigate it vigorously.” She added, “The investigations take time. You know, we need them to stick. We need to gather information. So, at this point, I will say that was concerning, and we will take the strongest action possible to protect America.”

Raimondo reacted to the release of Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro smartphone in August, which was a significant development given that U.S. sanctions had prevented Huawei from introducing new products for the previous four years. The unveiling of the Mate 60 Pro marks a significant breakthrough. The fact that the Mate 60 Pro incorporates a 7-nanometer (1 nanometer = 1 billionth of a meter) process processor has ignited a Huawei craze among Chinese consumers.

China’s SMIC Involvement in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Discussions with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang

China’s largest semiconductor manufacturing company, SMIC (Zhongxin International), reportedly manufactured the 7-nanometer semiconductor supplied to Huawei using equipment from Dutch company ASML. According to Bloomberg, Secretary Raimondo is currently facing pressure from Republican members to sever ties with certain suppliers completely.

Raimondo believes stronger support is necessary to control the supply of advanced semiconductors to Huawei’s mobile phones. In response to a question about Huawei’s smartphones at a recent defense forum, Raimondo stated that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) needs more resources to strengthen controls. She made a similar statement during a congressional testimony last October.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Raimondo met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to discuss export regulations to China. Raimondo stated, “(Nvidia) can, will, and should sell AI chips to China because most AI chips will be for commercial applications.” but emphasized that “the most sophisticated ones.”

By. Seong Jin Kwon