The U.S. government will let top chipmakers Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC keep and expand their existing memory and logic fabs in China, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal that cites an official from the U.S. Department of Commerce. If the information is correct, then the three companies will be able to purchase new fab tools from U.S.-based makers for their Chinese fabs, but there is a catch.
Alan Estevez, undersecretary of the Department of Commerce for industry and security, revealed plans for the administration to continue current waivers for the South Korean and Taiwanese chipmakers relating to the latest U.S. export control rules designed to constrain capabilities of the Chinese semiconductor industry. These waivers, originally granted last October, were due to expire this October.
