TSMC Gets 'Sakti Letter' from the US, Free to Produce Chips Anywhere
Photo: Doc. TSMC
Jakarta - TSMC, the world's largest chip manufacturing company, received a 'magic letter' from the United States, which allows them to use US technology to make chips anywhere, including in China.
With this letter, US Government regulations regarding export control of chip-making equipment to China do not apply to TSMC, as stated by Taiwanese Minister of Economy Wang Mei-hua, as quoted by detikINET from Reuters, Sunday (15/10/2023).
At the end of October, the US government implemented a number of new export regulations, including stopping all exports of semiconductor chips made using US technology to China. The aim is to hinder China's technological and military development.
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TSMC had previously received permission valid for a year to use US technology at its factory in Nanjing, China. However, this factory only makes chips that are considered old school, namely with 28nm fabrication and above.
Before TSMC, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix also received similar legal letters, which allowed them to use chipmaking equipment from the US in their factories located in China without time limits and without separate permission from the US.
With this permit, Samsung and SK Hynix can continue to produce chips in China and continue to bring the latest equipment using US technology to the country.
Samsung and SK Hynix are the two largest memory chip manufacturers in the world. Both have semiconductor factories located in China, which - without legal documents - will have their operations hampered because they cannot use technology from the US.
However, South Korea is one of the United States' closest friends, and it seems that the US government wants to strengthen its influence in South Korea to keep up pressure on China. This might be used as bargaining power for South Korea so that Samsung and SK Hynix get the magic letter.
TSMC Dapat 'Surat Sakti' dari AS, Bebas Produksi Chip di Mana Saja
Foto: Dok. TSMC
Jakarta -
TSMC, perusahaan pembuat chip terbesar dunia, mendapat 'surat sakti' dari Amerika Serikat, yang membuat mereka bisa menggunakan teknologi AS untuk membuat chip di mana saja, termasuk di China.
Dengan surat ini, peraturan Pemerintah AS soal kontrol ekspor peralatan pembuat chip ke China tidak berlaku untuk TSMC, seperti disampaikan oleh Menteri Perekonomian Taiwan Wang Mei-hua, demikian dikutip detikINET dari Reuters, Minggu (15/10/2023).
Pada akhir Oktober lalu, Pemerintah AS memberlakukan sejumlah aturan ekspor baru, termasuk menyetop semua ekspor chip semikonduktor yang dibuat menggunakan teknologi AS ke China. Tujuannya untuk menghambat perkembangan teknologi dan militer China.
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TSMC sebelumnya sudah pernah mendapat izin yang berlaku selama setahun untuk menggunakan teknologi AS di pabriknya di Nanjing, China. Namun pabrik tersebut hanya membuat chip yang terbilang jadul, yaitu dengan fabrikasi 28nm ke atas.
Sebelum TSMC, Samsung Electronics dan SK Hynix juga mendapat surat sakti sejenis, yang membuat mereka bisa menggunakan peralatan pembuat chip dari AS di pabriknya yang berlokasi di China tanpa batas waktu dan tanpa izin terpisah dari AS.
Dengan izin ini, Samsung dan SK Hynix bisa terus memproduksi chipnya di China dan tetap membawa peralatan-peralatan terbaru yang menggunakan teknologi AS ke negara tersebut.
Samsung dan SK Hynix adalah dua pabrikan pembuat chip memori terbesar di dunia. Keduanya punya pabrik semikonduktor yang berlokasi di China, yang semestinya -- tanpa surat sakti -- akan terhambat operasionalnya karena tak bisa menggunakan teknologi dari AS.
Namun Korea Selatan adalah salah satu sahabat terdekatnya Amerika Serikat, dan tampaknya Pemerintah AS mau memperkuat pengaruhnya di Korsel untuk tetap memberikan tekanan ke China. Hal tersebut yang mungkin dijadikan daya tawar Korsel agar Samsung dan SK Hynix mendapat surat sakti.