The United States confirms that it is working with allies to restrict chip exports to China

White House National Security Advisor Sullivan confirmed Monday (December 12, 2022) that the United States has discussed with partners in countries including Japan and the Netherlands how to tighten exports of chips and related equipment to China, without providing further details.

Earlier, Bloomberg News quoted sources as saying that the agreement between the Netherlands and the United States on export control of chip equipment will be announced as soon as next month.

The Dutch government is believed to be planning to cooperate with a U.S. law to establish new export controls that ban the export of advanced chip-making equipment to China.

ASML, the largest producer of semiconductor equipment in the Netherlands, is a major player in the semiconductor industry, with exports to China worth $2.1 billion last year.

The Dutch foreign ministry has not commented on the Bloomberg News report, but the Dutch trade minister said last month that it was consulting with Washington on the U.S.-just passed law on export control of chips and technology.

Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasu Minoru Nishimura also said that talks were held with U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo on chip export controls but would not disclose the progress of the talks.

A spokesman for Tokyo Electronics, Japan's largest maker of semiconductor equipment, said it could not comment on the export controls but said it would "closely monitor developments." ”

In October, the Biden administration unveiled a broad set of export controls, including one that banned the supply to China of certain semiconductor chips made using American tools anywhere in the world, greatly expanding Washington's efforts to slow Beijing's technological and military advances.

But U.S. officials acknowledged at the time that the United States had not received any assurances from allies to implement similar measures. They say U.S. discussions with those countries are ongoing.

A month later, U.S. Commerce Secretary Raimondo said Japan and the Netherlands were expected to cooperate with the United States in implementing the measures.

Both Japan and the Netherlands see China as one of the most important markets. Some in the industry worry that China could retaliate if Japan and the Netherlands cooperate with U.S. export controls.

Chinese officials accused the United States of repeatedly abusing export control measures, maliciously blocking and suppressing Chinese enterprises, coercing allies to participate in economic containment of China, and causing great damage to the stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain, saying that they hoped that relevant countries would independently make correct judgments based on their own long-term interests and the fundamental interests of the international community.

A senior official at China's Ministry of Commerce said Monday that China filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization on the same day that the United States imposed export controls on Chinese chips and related products.