Commerce Planning Expansion of Chip Controls Next Month, Report Says

The Commerce Department is planning to expand export controls over certain semiconductor items destined to China (see 2208010011) next month, including those used for artificial intelligence and chipmaking tools, Reuters reported Sept. 11. Commerce already outlined some new restrictions in letters earlier this year to KLA, Lam Research and Applied Materials, Reuters said, which include new export licensing requirements on chipmaking equipment to Chinese factories capable of making chips more advanced than 14 nanometers. The new rules would also codify restrictions outlined by Commerce in letters to NVIDIA and AMD last month (see 2209010059), the report said.

Commerce is reviewing the types of semiconductors and chipmaking equipment that can be exported to China to determine whether the Bureau of Industry and Security needs to tighten those restrictions (see 2207150023). “While we are not in a position to outline specific policy changes at this time, we are taking a comprehensive approach to implement additional actions necessary related to technologies, end-uses, and end-users to protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests,” a Commerce spokesperson said Sept. 12. “This includes preventing China’s acquisition and use of U.S. technology in the context of its military-civil fusion program to fuel its military modernization efforts, conduct human rights abuses, and enable other malign activities.” A KLA spokesperson declined to comment. Lam Research and Applied Materials didn’t respond to requests for comment.