Taiwan 'Constantly' Reviewing Export Controls Ahead of Chips 4, Official Says

Taiwan is “constantly” examining its export controls to make sure they’re capturing sensitive technologies, although it remains unclear if the controls will be discussed within its “Chip 4” alliance with the U.S., South Korea and Japan, a senior Taiwan official said this week. Chen Chern-chyi, Taiwan’s deputy economic affairs minister, said the four countries recently held a preparatory meeting for the alliance, but the group hasn’t yet set a formal agenda or scheduled an official first session, according to an Oct. 5 Nikkei report. He said the alliance is mainly “to work with our partners to form a resilient supply chain.”

The U.S. may rely on the alliance as part of its push for a new multilateral export control framework, which it hopes will lead to better export control coordination for semiconductors (see 2206290032). Chen said Taiwan is facing challenges restricting exports to China if there are no clear signs the exports will be used in military applications, the report said. He said Taiwan is "constantly reviewing the export control regime and constantly exchanges information with allies,” adding that "[i]f there are loopholes, we will plug them or fix them."

Chen also said he doesn’t believe Taiwan can “completely decouple from China,” according to the report, but “[w]ith respect to national security, we will take measures including safeguarding our trade secrets, our key national key technologies, safeguarding our talent and not to be poached illegally.”

"With respect to national security, we will take measures including safeguarding our trade secrets, our key national key technologies, safeguarding our talent and not to be poached illegally,"