EU probes industry on China’s chip production
The initiative comes amid rising EU-China tensions, exemplified by tariffs of up to 37.6% on Chinese electric vehicles.
The European Commission has initiated a consultation with the semiconductor industry to gather views on China’s expanded production of older-generation computer chips, known as legacy chips. The effort precedes two voluntary surveys targeting the chip industry and major chip-using firms, which are due in September. The Commission aims to assess the role of legacy chips in supply chains and explore potential joint measures with the US to address dependency and market distortion.
That move comes amid rising tensions between the EU and China as the European Union seeks to shield its industries from Chinese competition. Recently, the Commission imposed provisional tariffs of up to 37.6% on Chinese electric vehicles, signalling a potentially tougher stance towards Beijing. Chinese investment in legacy chip production, driven by state subsidies and US restrictions on advanced chips, has raised concerns in the West about long-term market implications and potential oversupply.
The Commission’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, hinted in April at a possible investigation into legacy chips after discussions with US officials. A detailed report released by the European Commission earlier this year highlighted the extensive support provided by the Chinese government to domestic firms across various sectors, including semiconductors. The new chip-focused surveys are broader in scope than previous US security-focused surveys, aiming to gather comprehensive data on chip sourcing, products, pricing, and competitive estimates.
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