US clears Samsung, SK Hynix tool shipments to China
The United States has approved annual licences allowing Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to ship chipmaking equipment to their China-based factories in 2026, sources familiar with the matter said.
The decision provides temporary relief to the South Korean firms after Washington earlier this year revoked broad licence waivers granted to some technology companies under previous export rules. Under the new system, shipments of U.S.-made semiconductor tools to China will now require year-by-year approval, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Samsung, SK Hynix and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) had previously benefited from exemptions known as validated end-user status, which allowed limited exports despite sweeping U.S. restrictions on chip-related technology. That status is set to expire on December 31, making individual licences mandatory for future shipments.
The move comes as President Donald Trump’s administration tightens scrutiny of export controls, arguing that earlier rules were too permissive and risked giving China access to advanced American technology.
China remains a key manufacturing base for Samsung and SK Hynix, particularly for traditional memory chips, which have seen rising prices amid strong demand from AI data centres and constrained global supply.
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