U.S. Government Indicts Chinese DRAM Maker JHICC on Industrial Espionage; Bans Exports To Firm
The U.S. Department of Commerce [DoC] this week banned U.S. exports to a China-based maker of DRAM. The DoC believes that Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Company (also known as Fujian or JHICC) not only uses technologies obtained from Micron, but also threatens the latter's long-term economic viability and therefore could also be involved in activities that are contrary to the U.S. national security interests.
In the meantime, the U.S. Department of Justice [DoJ] has also filed an indictment against JHICC, United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), and several individuals accusing them of corporate espionage and stealing IP from Micron. Between the two, the U.S. authorities essentially sided with claims that Chinese makers of memory have illegally obtained IP and technologies from DRAM makers from the U.S. and potentially other countries.
As a result of DoC actions against JHICC, all U.S.-based (and, actually, non-U.S.-based too) companies will require a special license for all exports, re-exports, and transfers of commodities, software and technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). DoC makes no secret that such license applications will be "reviewed with a presumption of denial", so it will be tremendously hard for JHICC to obtain practically everything, including Windows 7 licenses for manufacturing equipment and production tools themselves (ASML has a strong presence in the U.S., whereas Nikon Precision is based in California). Meanwhile, the whole situation is somewhat more complex.
Related: Tsinghua to Build $30 Billion DRAM/NAND Fabrication Plant in Nanjing, China
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 02 2018, @08:48PM (1 child)
In China, it's the Chinese laws, as in American, it's American laws. The problem is the trading treaty between the two.
Back in the days, Chinese needed help, so we gave them some. It ain't like that no more, with them being the second biggest economy in the world.
No more IP theft, no more illegal contamination, no more illegal fishing fleets, no more of them chicom nonsenese. If they don't respect the international norms of trade, I don't see why we should when dealing with the Chinese.
Lastly, if you love China so much, go back to China then.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Sulla on Friday November 02 2018, @09:20PM
I'd like to go back to China, but the standard of living is too low! We need to hurry up the transfer of research, development, and manufacturing to China so that we can build it up and I can move back once the US is wrung dry
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam