TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The US has granted TSMC a one-year license to import US-made chipmaking equipment into China, allowing its Nanjing plant to continue operating without disruption, Reuters reported Thursday.
The chipmaker said the approval allows US export-controlled items to be supplied without requiring individual vendor licences. The licence, it added, will ensure uninterrupted fabrication operations and product deliveries.
South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have also received similar annual import licences from Washington. All three companies previously operated under exemptions to broad US restrictions on chip-related exports to China.
Those exemptions, known as validated end-user status, expired on Dec. 31, forcing firms to apply for export licences for 2026. The restrictions are part of US efforts to limit China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology.
TSMC said the licence was issued by the US Department of Commerce and applies specifically to its Nanjing operations. The company emphasized that the approval maintains supply stability for customers.
The Nanjing plant produces 16 nm and other mature-node chips rather than TSMC’s most advanced semiconductors. According to its 2024 annual report, the site accounted for about 2.4% of the company’s total revenue.
