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China Investigates US Semiconductor Sector Ahead of Trade Talks
By Invented Reporter | TAIPEI – 2025/09/14 08:18:35
China has initiated two investigations targeting the U.S. semiconductor industry. Thes actions precede discussions between the two countries in Spain this week, focusing on trade, national security, and the ownership of TikTok.
China’s Ministry of Commerce has announced an anti-dumping examination into specific analog IC chips imported from the U.S. The investigation will focus on commodity interface IC chips and gate driver IC chips, commonly produced by U.S. companies like semiconductors-trade-investigations-madrid-fae364b02c32da4e37b645046a3c17db” title=”China launches probes targeting US … ahead of Madrid trade …”>Texas Instruments and ON Semiconductor.
The ministry also announced a separate anti-discrimination probe into U.S. policies affecting China’s chip sector.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to meet with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Madrid between Sunday and Wednesday, according to He’s office.
A Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson stated that U.S. measures,including export restrictions and tariffs,”constitute the containment and suppression of China’s growth of high-tech industries” such as advanced computer chips and artificial intelligence.
These investigations were announced after the U.S. added 23 Chinese companies to an “entity list” on Friday. These companies will face restrictions for allegedly acting against U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.The list includes two Chinese companies accused of acquiring chipmaking equipment for major Chinese chipmaker SMIC.
The meetings between Bessent and He in Madrid represent the latest effort to reduce trade tensions and potentially postpone further tariff increases.
Previous discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials took place in Geneva in May, london in June, and Stockholm in July. The two governments have agreed to several 90-day pauses on increasing reciprocal tariffs, preventing a full-scale trade war.
Bessent described the talks during the last round in Stockholm as “very fulsome.”
“We just need to de-risk with certain, strategic industries, whether it’s the rare earths, semiconductors, medicines, and we talked about what we could do together to get into balance within the relationship,” Bessent said at the time.
Both U.S. President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden implemented restrictions on China’s access to advanced semiconductors, including limiting the sale of chipmaking equipment. While Washington cites national security concerns,China claims these curbs are a U.S. strategy to limit its growth.
“We just need to de-risk with certain, strategic industries…and we talked about what we could do together to get into balance.”
