U.S.-China Fight Over Chip Kingpin Rattles Tech Industry

New U.S. curbs thrust TSMC into heart of tensions over Huawei
The restrictions threaten to up-end a decades-old model

U.S. Tightens Rules to Crack Down on Huawei’s Chip Supply

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By Debby Wu and Ian King

May 18, 2020 at 1:06 AM UTC

Updated on

May 18, 2020 at 4:13 AM UTC

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Since its founding more than three decades ago, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. has built its business by working behind the scenes to make customers like Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. shine. Now the low-profile chipmaker has landed squarely in the middle of the U.S.-China trade war, an incalculably valuable asset that both sides are vying to control.