US grants TSMC annual licence to import American chipmaking tools into China


The US government ‍has granted an annual licence to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to import American chip manufacturing equipment to its fabrication facilities in Nanjing, the capital of eastern China’s Jiangsu province, according to the company.

The approval “ensures uninterrupted fab operations and product deliveries”, TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said in a statement on Thursday to Reuters.

Previously, ‍the Asian companies had benefited from exemptions from Washington’s sweeping ‍restrictions on semiconductor-related exports to China, part of US efforts to try to stay ahead of the world’s second-largest economy ‌in technological development.

But those privileges – known as validated end-user ‍status – expired on December 31 and the companies had to seek US export licences instead for 2026.

An aerial view of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s production complex in Nanjing, the capital of eastern Jiangsu province, on August 6, 2025. Photo: AFP
An aerial view of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s production complex in Nanjing, the capital of eastern Jiangsu province, on August 6, 2025. Photo: AFP
“The US Department of Commerce has granted TSMC Nanjing ‌an annual export ⁠licence that allows US export-controlled items to be supplied to TSMC Nanjing without the need for individual vendor licences,” the chipmaker said in its statement.
  • Related Posts

    AmCham chairman’s 2026 wishes? More US-China talks, fewer tariffs, no shocks

    In January, James Zimmerman returned to the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) as its chairman. He previously served in that role for four one-year terms in 2007,…

    Continue reading
    Shenzhen-listed Unisplendour abandons year-long effort to raise funds in Hong Kong

    Unisplendour Corporation, a subsidiary of state-backed Tsinghua Holdings, has scrapped its Hong Kong listing plan that had been in the works for nearly a year. The Shenzhen-listed company said in…

    Continue reading

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *