Taiwan specifically regulates the export of wafer technology from Huawei and SMIC, and the cross-strait chip war continues to rage

The Taiwan International Trade Administration Committee (ITAC) released the Strategic High-Tech Goods Export Entity Management List (SHTC Entity List) on 6/17, which includes Chinese technology companies Huawei and SMIC, along with several of their subsidiaries. ITAC stated that these restrictions are based on "preventing weapons proliferation and addressing national security concerns" and emphasized that they were formally implemented on 6/10.

Taiwan Specifically Restricts Huawei and SMIC, AI Factory Plans Blocked

According to current Taiwanese regulations, exporting goods to listed entities requires prior government approval. This means that Huawei and SMIC will face restrictions on obtaining advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies, equipment, and materials from Taiwan.

This move could significantly impact Huawei and SMIC's ability to build AI wafer factories, particularly in advanced packaging, critical machinery, and material supply, further widening the technological gap with TSMC.

Bloomberg had previously reported in 2023 that multiple Taiwanese companies were secretly helping Huawei build a series of chip plants in southern China, seemingly attempting to bypass US sanctions and restart manufacturing chains. Now, the Taiwanese government is strictly controlling and cutting off these "hidden connections".

Advanced Equipment and IP Imports Blocked, Self-Produced 7nm Chips Shock the World

The restrictions not only target Chinese enterprises but also Huawei's subsidiaries in Japan, Germany, and Russia. In fact, Huawei and SMIC have been on the US export control list for years, almost completely cut off from advanced external technology supplies.

However, Huawei and SMIC shocked the world by launching a domestically manufactured 7nm chip in 2023. Despite being blocked in equipment and IP licensing, these companies still managed to produce AI chips in China, forcing the outside world to reassess China's manufacturing capabilities.

From Technical Control to Political Stance, AI Chips Become Sovereign Tools

Taiwan's proactive inclusion of Huawei and SMIC on the list is interpreted as a countermeasure against China's continuous infiltration and military threats. Especially after President Lai Cheng-de publicly labeled China as a "hostile foreign force" and initiated a series of anti-infiltration measures, tensions between the two sides have become quite strained.

In the past, Taiwan already had numerous export restrictions on China, such as strictly controlling advanced manufacturing equipment like exposure machines. However, this time specifically naming and restricting well-known Chinese tech enterprises is quite rare.

This move again highlights that chips are not just an industrial issue, but a geopolitical battleground. In the AI era, whoever controls chips controls future national power and discourse.