SMIC ‘Potentially’ Broke Law If It Made Huawei Chip, US Says

  • US has been probing ‘purported’ 7-nm chip in Huawei phone
  • Commerce Department official Estevez spoke at House hearing

The SMIC Corp. headquarters in Shanghai, China.

Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
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Chinese chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. “potentially” broke American law if it manufactured a processor for sanctioned telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co., a senior US official said.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez was questioned about the 7-nanometer processor that SMIC made for Huawei during testimony before lawmakers Thursday. When asked by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul whether SMIC violated US controls, Estevez said “potentially, yes.”