The Taiwanese government has added China’s two major tech companies, Huawei and SMIC (China’s largest chipmaker), to its export control list. This means Taiwanese companies must obtain government approval before shipping products to these firms.
The decision was made by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs based on national security concerns and the prevention of arms proliferation. On June 10, a total of 601 entities were added to the list, including organizations from Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
Huawei and SMIC play key roles in China’s AI and chip technology development. Huawei has previously faced U.S. sanctions barring it from acquiring American technology, while SMIC is heavily supported by the Chinese government to boost domestic chip production.
Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world’s leading chip manufacturer and a major supplier for AI giant Nvidia.
Taiwan’s government has long warned that some Chinese companies attempt to steal technology and recruit chip experts from the island, prompting strict controls and cautious cooperation with China in the tech sector.
This move reflects Taiwan’s effort to protect its technology and maintain a competitive edge against China in the technology race.
