China’s Chip Advances Call for Action, Not Panic

One year after the US imposed export controls aimed at hobbling China’s semiconductor development, a fierce debate has broken out in Washington over whether they’re sweeping enough. Before going too much further, however, the US should first coordinate with allies and look to enforce the existing rules more rigorously.

The controls introduced by President Joe Biden’s administration aim to block China’s ability to buy or manufacture advanced chips that could eventually be used for military purposes. Demands for even more aggressive action erupted after Huawei Technologies Co. released its latest smartphone, the Mate 60, in late August. The phone’s main processor was produced by Shanghai-based Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) and utilized 7-nanometer technology. While less powerful than the latest iPhone, the device’s sophistication nevertheless suggests that China has found ways to evade US obstacles.