TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The US has become the leading source of helium for Taiwan, Japan and South Korea as geopolitical tensions disrupt global supplies of the critical semiconductor gas, Nikkei Asia reported Monday.
The three Asian technology hubs have traditionally relied on Qatar and China for helium and other noble gases used in advanced manufacturing. However, the Iran conflict has disrupted Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations, reducing helium production, while China recently imposed temporary export restrictions on helium without providing a reason.
A TSMC executive said Qatar has some of the world’s most cost-effective helium production because the gas is extracted as a byproduct of the country’s LNG industry, per Nikkei Asia. However, disruptions to Qatar’s LNG exports have pushed chipmakers to seek alternative sources.
Taiwan has sharply increased helium imports from the US as supplies shift. US shipments accounted for nearly 60% of Taiwan’s helium and other noble gas imports in the first six months of this year, up from less than 4% in 2025, while Qatar’s share fell from nearly 88% to about 30% during the same period, per Nikkei Asia.
South Korea has also turned to the US. Imports from the US accounted for nearly 56% of the country’s helium supply in the first five months of this year, up from about 28% in 2025, while Qatar’s share declined to about 34% from 55%. Imports from China, which once accounted for more than half of South Korea’s noble gas imports in 2022, fell to 3.3%.
Japan’s story is similar. More than 83% of Japan’s rare gas imports, including helium, came from the US in the first five months of this year, compared with about 28% in 2022, while China’s share dropped to 3.6% from nearly 28%.
Helium is essential for semiconductor manufacturing, where it is used in cooling systems, leak detection, deposition processes, and advanced lithography. The US accounts for roughly 40% of global helium production, followed by Qatar at roughly 33% and Russia at nearly 10%, while China produces less than 2%.
Industry executives said China’s export restrictions could indicate tighter domestic supplies and an effort to reserve helium for local use, per Nikkei Asia. The move reflects Beijing’s broader use of control over critical materials, including rare earths and strategic minerals, as a tool in trade and geopolitical disputes.
The disruption has raised concerns among semiconductor manufacturers about supply security. Taiwan’s Semiconductor Industry Association, led by TSMC, has urged the government to establish strategic stockpiles of helium and LNG.
