China starts probes targeting US semiconductor sector

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The Ministry of Commerce kicked off an anti-discrimination investigation into US moves against the Chinese chip sector.

PHOTO: REUTERS

China launched two investigations targeting the US semiconductor sector ahead of planned talks between the two nations on trade and other issues.

The Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Sept 13 that it’s opened an anti-dumping probe relating to certain American-made analog IC chips, the sort of products sold by Texas Instruments and Analog Devices.

At the same time, the ministry also kicked off an anti-discrimination investigation into US moves against the Chinese chip sector, according to a separate statement.

The probes come shortly after the US added 23 more

China-based companies to its entity list,

China’s public rebuke of US trade measures sets up a tense opening for a multi–day meeting between top officials from both sides. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set for discussions with Chinese vice-premier He Lifeng in Madrid on trade, economic and national security issues.

The talks come after months of back and forth on trade negotiations and a pause of the Trump administration’s elevated tariffs on China while the two sides seek to work out a mutually agreeable deal.

Semiconductors have grown into a key ground of contestation, as the US has cut off China’s access to the most advanced artificial intelligence accelerators and used the licensing of some less-powerful Nvidia Corp. hardware as a bargaining chip – though Chinese officials have pushed back and expressed