The US and South Korea have made “historic progress” in deepening cooperation to safe essential applied sciences and deal with financial coercion, the White Home mentioned on Sunday.
This got here as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol ready for his first state go to to america on Monday for talks with President Joe Biden, which Washington mentioned will underscore their “ironclad alliance.”
“This contains efforts to coordinate investments within the semiconductor sector, safe essential applied sciences, and deal with financial coercion,” the U.S. Nationwide Safety Council informed the Monetary Occasions.
“We anticipate the upcoming state go to to even additional strengthen cooperation on all these fronts,” it added.
The White Home made the remarks in response to a Monetary Occasions report citing unnamed sources that Washington had requested South Korea to advise its chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, to carry again from boosting their gross sales to China if U.S. chipmaker Micron is banned from promoting chips in Beijing.
One of many sources prompt that Washington’s request to South Korea demonstrates the Biden administration’s aim to stop China from utilizing Micron “as a lever to affect or impact U.S. coverage” and thwart China’s financial coercion efforts by cooperating with its allies.
The White Home didn’t touch upon the report however mentioned the semiconductor sector was one space the place the 2 international locations had made progress in advancing their collaboration.
The Epoch Occasions has reached out to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix for remark.
China Launches Probe Into Micron
China’s cybersecurity watchdog launched a cybersecurity evaluation of Idaho-based Micron’s merchandise bought within the nation final month, citing the necessity to stop “community safety dangers attributable to hidden product issues” and “keep nationwide safety.”
Micron mentioned that its enterprise continues to function as regular in China whereas the corporate was cooperating with the investigation.
Superior semiconductor chips are used to make all the things from pickup vans to hypersonic missiles. At the moment, greater than 60 p.c of the world’s provide of chips is produced in Taiwan, a lot of them with the assistance of U.S. analysis and design.
The US final yr imposed sweeping restrictions on entry to chipmaking know-how to impede China’s technological and army advances. However Washington wants the cooperation of its allies and companions for its measures to be efficient.
Japan Tightens Chipmaking Gear Exports
Japan earlier imposed export restrictions on 23 semiconductor manufacturing gear amid an ongoing spat between america and China over chip know-how.
The export management measures will take impact in July and canopy gear for cleansing, checkups, and lithography—a key know-how in manufacturing superior semiconductors—in line with Japan’s Ministry of Financial system, Commerce and Trade (METI).
“It’s to stop our know-how from being diverted for army use,” METI Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura informed native reporters. “We are going to fulfill our duty to the worldwide group.”
Japan mentioned that 42 international locations, together with america and Taiwan, will proceed receiving the gear beneath a simplified export measure. However China was not amongst them and can be topic to stricter controls.
The brand new regulation will have an effect on gear manufactured by 10 Japanese firms, together with Tokyo Electron Ltd. Nonetheless, Nishimura mentioned he anticipated minimal impression on native firms as the principles solely goal “extraordinarily superior” know-how.
Chinese language International Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning criticized Japan’s transfer, saying that “weaponizing commerce and tech points and destabilizing the worldwide industrial and provide chains profit nobody and can finally backfire.”
The Netherlands had additionally agreed to dam Beijing from gaining access to chip manufacturing know-how, akin to from ASML Holding NV, which dominates the marketplace for lithography programs used to create chips’ minute circuitry.
Andrew Thornebrooke and Reuters contributed to this report.
