U.S. Grants TSMC Licence to Import Chip Tools for China Plant

The U.S. government has issued an annual export licence allowing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) to bring U.S.-made chipmaking equipment into its factory in Nanjing, China.

TSMC said the approval would allow its operations and product deliveries to continue without disruption. Similar licences have also been granted to South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

Previously, these Asian chipmakers operated under exemptions from Washington’s broad restrictions on chip-related exports to China. Those privileges, known as validated end-user status, expired on December 31, requiring the companies to apply for export licences for 2026.

In a statement, TSMC said the U.S. Department of Commerce had authorised an annual licence that permits the supply of U.S. export-controlled items to its Nanjing site without the need for individual vendor approvals.

The Nanjing plant produces 16-nanometre and other mature-node semiconductors, rather than TSMC’s most advanced chips. The company also operates a separate manufacturing facility in Shanghai.

According to TSMC’s 2024 annual report, the Nanjing operation accounted for about 2.4% of the company’s total revenue.

Kursiv also reports that the United States will allow Nvidia’s H200 AI chips, its second most advanced processors, to be exported to China with a 25% fee.