US Lawmakers Probe Semiconductor Sales to China

The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has requested detailed information from five semiconductor equipment manufacturers—Applied Materials, Lam Research, KLA, ASML, and Tokyo Electron—regarding their sales to China, amid concerns over China's advancements in chipmaking and its potential military applications. Lawmakers John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) expressed fears that Chinese purchases of chip manufacturing equipment could enhance its capabilities and reduce the impact of U.S. sanctions, thereby threatening regional security. The inquiry follows a backdrop of ongoing debates about U.S. export controls, with some lawmakers advocating for tighter restrictions despite concerns from the industry about competitiveness. The committee aims to understand the flow of semiconductor equipment to China and its implications for U.S. national security. The companies have been given until December 1 to respond, as geopolitical tensions continue to mount in the tech sector.