Export Controls Will Impede China’s Chip Progress, US Commerce Official Says

The US-led restrictions over advanced chipmaking equipment for Chinese firms will ultimately deter China’s efforts to develop an indigenous semiconductor industry, according to a senior American official responsible for enforcing export controls.

Huawei Technologies Co.’s recent release of a 5G phone powered by an advanced 7-nanometer chip made by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. set off a debate in Washington over the effectiveness of US attempts to curb China’s technological advancement, but Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez said export controls will eventually crimp the Asian nation’s capabilities to produce semiconductors.