BBG: Biden Admin Pressing Allies To Tighten Chip Restrictions On China

MNI London - Bloomberg reportingthat, "The US government is pressing allies including the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea and Japan to further tighten restrictions on China’s access to semiconductor technology."

• According to Bloomberg sources, the latest push is aimed at, "plugging holes in export controls it’s levied over the past two years and restraining China’s progress in developing domestic chip capabilities."
• The report states that the US is urging the Netherlands to block Dutch company ASML from servicing chipmaking equipment purchased by Chinese clients before restrictions were put in place; and Japanese companies, "to limit exports to China of specialized chemicals critical for chipmaking, including photoresist."
• The report follows a pledge from Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, in December, to take action in response to a breakthrough from Huawei which the House Foreign Affairs Committee said, “almost certainly required the use of U.S. origin technology and should be an export control violation.”
• On Thursday, the House Commerce Committee will mark up new legislation calling on Chinese company Bytedance divest TikTok or face a US ban. Punchbowl News reports that the White House, "provided lawmakers with technical assistance when they were drafting the bill," pointing at another major push from the Biden administration to curb China's tech sector ahead of the general election where Democrats and Republicans alike are expected to campaign on agendas which are hawkish on China.