Imports of various chip-making tools – including those used to manufacture silicon wafers, integrated circuits (ICs) and flat-panel displays – totalled US$4.3 billion in October, up from US$2.4 billion in the same period last year, customs data showed.
That increased demand reflects the major effort by Chinese semiconductor companies to stockpile chip-making tools ahead of the latest US tech trade controls, which took effect a month after Washington’s announcement.
China’s chip imports, meanwhile, have gradually improved since recording a 26.5 per cent year-on-year decline in the first two months of this year.
Nvidia working closely with US to ensure new chips for China are compliant with curbs
Nvidia working closely with US to ensure new chips for China are compliant with curbs
The total number of IC imports from January to November reached 437.6 billion units, down 12.1 per cent from the same period last year, according to data published by the General Administration of Customs on Thursday. By contrast, China’s chip imports in the first 10 months of 2023 were down 13.1 per cent.
While the total value of chip imports from January to November was down 16.5 per cent year on year to US$316.6 billion, that marked an improvement from the 18.8 per cent drop in value in the first 10 months of the year. By comparison, the value of China’s overall imports saw a 6 per cent decrease in the first 11 months of the year.
The latest chip import figures show a mild recovery in the domestic market, especially in the consumer electronics sector.