Commerce Eases Some Exports to China
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 10/19/2007
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) eased the export control requirements for selected companies operating in China, including Applied Materials China and two Chinese foundries, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) and Shanghai Hua Hong NEC Corp. (HHNEC).
The companies will receive validated end-user (VEU) status, which will remove individual license requirements on exports of certain U.S.-controlled items.
For Applied’s China subsidiary, VEU status means that approved facilities in Beijing, Shanghai and Wuxi can more easily import a list of items, including pressure transducers, semiconductor raw materials and spare parts for ion implantation, etching, wafer handling and lithography equipment. Applied Materials China performs maintenance, installation and warranty support for Applied Materials’ customers in China.
For SMIC, the change will ease imports of pressure transducers, chemical handling equipment, chemicals, semiconductor raw materials and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to approved facilities located in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Tianjin.
HHNEC was approved to receive an identical list of goods at its Shanghai fab.
“The approval of these VEU candidates is the latest step in implementing our dual-use export control policy toward China,” said Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary Mario Mancuso. “This common-sense approach makes it easier for U.S. companies to sell to pre-screened civilian customers in China consistent with our national security requirements."
Dual-use items have commercial uses in addition to conventional military and weapons of mass destruction applications. Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI, San Jose) has been pushing the U.S. government to update the list of dual-use items that can be exported to China. The Wassenaar Arrangement, a multilateral group that governs export controls of dual-use items, is set to reassess its control list next year.
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