The United States has added 32 companies and organizations from China, India, Iran, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates to its trade blacklist, marking the latest escalation in Washington’s efforts to restrict access to sensitive American technology.
Among those penalized are GMC Semiconductor Technology (Wuxi) Co and Jicun Semiconductor Technology, which US officials accused of acquiring advanced chipmaking equipment on behalf of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), China’s top semiconductor manufacturer.
The Federal Register notice stated that the two firms supplied tools to SMIC Northern Integrated Circuit Manufacturing (Beijing) Corp and Semiconductor Manufacturing International (Beijing) Corporation, both of which were already subject to US export controls. Sending US equipment to these entities requires licenses that are “presumed denied.”
The Commerce Department also targeted Shanghai Fudan Microelectronics Technology Co, a major producer of high-performance computing chips. The company and its affiliates in China, Singapore, and Taiwan were accused of aiding Beijing’s military modernization and providing sensitive technology to China’s security and government apparatus.
According to US officials, Fudan Microelectronics also transferred technology to Russian military end users, triggering additional restrictions beyond the Entity List designation.
While the move primarily focused on Chinese firms, the blacklist expansion also included entities from India, Iran, Turkey, and the UAE. The notice did not immediately specify their roles, and the companies could not be reached for comment.
The decision highlights Washington’s broader strategy of curbing the flow of American semiconductor equipment and technology to adversaries and competitors, particularly amid intensifying rivalry with Beijing over technological dominance.
Analysts note that by widening the scope to multiple countries, the US aims to close loopholes that enable blacklisted Chinese firms to obtain restricted technology through third-party suppliers.
