US Requests Allies to Suspend Semiconductor Equipment Services from China

Maximizing Export Control Effects by Pressuring the Netherlands and Japan

An official overseeing the United States' semiconductor export controls against China revealed that the U.S. is requesting its allies not to provide services for certain semiconductor equipment that companies have exported to China.

On the 27th (local time), according to Bloomberg and other local media, Alan Estevez, U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, told reporters at a conference, "We are urging not to provide services for key components," adding, "That is the conversation we are having with our allies."

He stated, "We are working with our allies to determine which equipment should receive services and which should not." However, he clarified that this does not include controlling allied companies' support services for equipment that Chinese companies can repair themselves and that are not critical.

Earlier, on the 21st, Deputy Under Secretary Estevez mentioned, "We are also looking into the service issues of equipment exported to China before the semiconductor equipment export controls were implemented," adding, "This is not the end; there is more work to be done."

Since October 2022, the United States has prohibited its companies from exporting equipment necessary for advanced semiconductor manufacturing to China. Subsequently, it pressured allied countries, including the Netherlands and Japan, to join the semiconductor equipment export controls and succeeded. However, companies in these two countries continue to provide maintenance and repair services for equipment sold to China before the export controls were enforced. Concerned that this could weaken the effectiveness of the export controls, the U.S. has now urged the suspension of service provision for semiconductor equipment as well.