In March, Japan announced it would tighten rules on exports of 23 types of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment, joining the United States and the Netherlands in curbing the sale of key technology to China. China is “strongly dissatisfied with” Japan’s decision, which it said violated international economic and trade rules, a Monday statement from the commerce ministry quoted its minister Wang Wentao as saying.
In October 2022, Washington imposed sweeping export curbs on advanced chips and chip-making equipment to China, in an attempt to cut off China’s access to critical technology for military purposes. Since then, US officials have persuaded their allies in the Netherlands and Japan to join this escalating standoff. Earlier this month, Beijing retaliated by banning the sale of US chipmaker Micron’s products to Chinese companies working on key infrastructure projects.