Taiwan has added Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), two major Chinese AI chip manufacturers, to its strategic technology blacklist. The decision was included in an official update published by the International Trade Administration under the Taiwan Ministry of Economy.

Taiwan has officially blacklisted Huawei

According to Taiwanese law, exports to companies on the strategic high-tech blacklist are subject to government approval. In practice, this has brought Huawei and SMIC’s supply of equipment, materials and engineering solutions from Taiwan to a standstill.

The decision was implemented with the list update on the Taiwanese government’s official website. The list includes not only China-based subsidiaries, but also some of Huawei’s subsidiaries in Japan, Germany and Russia. Thus, it has become clear that Huawei’s supply and technology partnerships will be hit not only in China but also globally.

Taiwanese companies were previously known to have worked with Huawei on some infrastructure projects in southern China. Two years ago, it was revealed that these companies were building the infrastructure of a Huawei chip manufacturing facility. The decision now makes the future of such collaborations uncertain.

Huawei and SMIC have long been on the US blacklist. In 2020, Taiwan-based TSMC stopped shipping to Huawei in line with US sanctions. But now, beyond individual US sanctions, a comprehensive restriction policy has been put in place at the Taiwanese government level.

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