The Japanese restrictions that took effect Sunday limit
Chinese access to tools for etching microscopically small circuits on advanced
chips for smartphones, artificial intelligence and other applications. The
Netherlands also joined the United States in limiting access to chipmaking
tools that Washington says could be used to develop weapons.
“We are deeply dissatisfied and regret the act,” said a
foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning. She urged Japan to “prevent relevant
measures from interfering with the normal semiconductor industry cooperation
between the two countries.”
The ruling Communist Party has invested billions of dollars
in building Chinese chip foundries but needs Western and Japanese technology to
produce the most advanced chips. That threatens to delay Beijing’s efforts to
develop tech industries.
The United States imposed curbs on Chinese access to chips
and chipmaking technology under then-President Donald Trump in 2019. The Biden
administration broadened those controls to block access to chip design and
manufacturing tools.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s government has been slow to
respond, possibly to avoid disrupting its fledgling tech industries. Last
month, Beijing rattled Japanese and Korea chip manufacturers by announcing an
export review process and possible restrictions for gallium and germanium, two
metals used in making semiconductors. -AP