Japan and the Netherlands have just reached an agreement with the United States on new restrictions in the direction of China in the semiconductor sector. But they will have to be as firm as their American partner.
This is the opinion of US industrialists, who expressed their concerns through the voice of their lobby in Washington SEMI. For this professional organization, the agreement reached by the three countries will only be effective if it is modeled on the measures taken by the Biden administration last October.
Japan and the Netherlands must imitate the USA
China is not alone in worrying about the tripartite diplomatic negotiations between the United States, the Netherlands and Japan. American industrialists sounded the alarm, of course, for different reasons. Because if they welcome the agreement, they explain in a press release that this alliance could also be ineffective. How ? Simply if the two partners of the United States did not put in place limitations of a scope as wide as those decided by Washington.
They are thus asking Tokyo and Amsterdam not to be satisfied with export bans on specific tools, but to take more general restrictive measures on the most advanced Chinese chip production factories. They recommend, moreover, that in imitation of the Americans, they prohibit their engineers and technicians from working on advanced equipment acquired by China.
Manufacturers are afraid of seeing a market escape them
If these recommended measures are not adopted, the production of state-of-the-art electronic chips in China ” may still occur with existing equipment, equipment made in China and other uncontrolled items, [le tout] by taking advantage of the expertise and services that non-US citizens can provide », Comments SEMI.
And beyond the national security of the United States of America, what worries SEMI the most is… the loss of market share, to the profits of potentially less constrained competitors. THE ” lost sales [du fait des interdictions d’exportation] are intended for companies in countries that are not linked “, we underline.
So what if the allies did not heed these warnings? Well, quite simply resume trade with China, and increase the number of authorizations for the supply of equipment to the Middle Kingdom on behalf of American companies. While of course avoiding equipment with a potential military destiny. So, which of business or geopolitics will prevail?
Source : Reuters
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