REUTERS: Industry groups are pushing back on proposed changes to U.S. export controls that would impact the sale of certain semiconductors and other technology to China, while highlighting the role chips play in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Noting the public health crisis, it added:"Semiconductors drive the functionality in advanced medical equipment used by health professionals to treat the public," and enable telework. The previous week, Reuters also reported that the officials agreed to require foreign companies that use U.S. chipmaking equipment to obtain licenses before supplying certain chips to China's Huawei Technologies.Ajit Manocha, president of SEMI, which represents the semiconductor and electronics manufacturing supply chain, sent another letter on Friday to President Donald Trump saying the change would harm U.S. exports of chipmaking equipment, which bring in over US$20 billion a year.
He also noted the potential to create uncertainty for supply chains"critical to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic."