China condemned Taiwan on Wednesday for placing two major Chinese tech firms on its export blacklist, denouncing the move as ‘despicable’ and pledging to safeguard its national interests.
Taiwan’s government this month placed 601 entities from various countries, including China’s Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), on its restricted ‘strategic high-tech commodities list.’
Taiwan, a major center in the global semiconductor industry, now requires its domestic companies to obtain government approval before exporting high-tech products to Huawei, SMIC, or any entities listed under its new trade restrictions.
Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office, accused Taipei of attempting to align with the United States by ‘repeatedly resorting to sinister and evil tactics.’ ‘These despicable actions are disgraceful,’ Zhu added.
Taiwan’s decision follows broader U.S. export controls on Chinese technology firms. Washington has intensified its push to limit the flow of advanced semiconductor technologies to China, citing concerns that such components could augment Beijing’s military capabilities and technological edge.
The United States also introduced new guidelines alerting companies that the use of high-tech AI semiconductors manufactured in China, particularly Huawei’s Ascend chips, can lead to potential violations of U.S. export control regulations.
Taiwanese Customs authorities have been directed to halt exports to companies lacking official government approval. China sharply criticized the decision, arguing that it would significantly harm several of its high-tech sectors that rely on Taiwanese semiconductors, equipment, and raw materials. It also warned that the restrictions would disrupt regional supply chains.
Beijing labeled the restriction as a ‘technological blockade,’ asserting that it would not hinder the nation’s progress in technological development.
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