China sees surge in value of semiconductor-manufacturing equipment orders amid latest US export controls, as chip imports post mild recovery
Author: Ann Cao
- China’s imports of semiconductor-manufacturing equipment totalled US$4.3 billion in October, up from US$2.4 billion in the same period last year
- Chip imports from January to November were down 12.1 per cent year on year, but improved from the 13.1 per cent drop in the first 10 months of 2023
China’s imports of semiconductor-manufacturing equipment, the prime target of the United States government’s updated tech export controls, surged in value by nearly 80 per cent in October from a year earlier, according to the mainland’s latest customs data.
Imports of various chip-making tools – including those used to manufacture silicon wafers, integrated circuits (ICs) and flat-panel displays – totalled US$4.3 billion in October, up from US$2.4 billion in the same period last year, customs data showed.
That increased demand reflects the major effort by Chinese semiconductor companies to stockpile chip-making tools ahead of the latest US tech trade controls, which took effect a month after Washington’s announcement.