Export Controls: Challenges with Commerce's Validated End-User Program May Limit Its Ability to Ensure That Semiconductor Equipment Exported to China Is Used as Intended

摘要

Semiconductors are key components in weapons systems and consumer electronics. Since semiconductors have both civilian and military applications, U.S. export control policy treats the equipment and materials used to manufacture semiconductors as 'dual-use' items, and controls the export of these items through licensing requirements to sensitive destinations such as China. It was requested that we update our 2002 report on China's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities to address the (1) evolution of China's capabilities since 2002, (2) changes to U.S. export control policies over the sale of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and materials to China since 2002, and (3) the advantages and limitations of these changes. The gap between U.S. and Chinese commercial semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, as measured by the feature size of the semiconductors produced, rapidly narrowed between 1994 and 2002. Since 2002, China's semiconductor manufacturing capabilities have continued to advance but remain one generation behind state-of-the-art semiconductors produced in the United States. China's most advanced semiconductor manufacturing companies continue to rely on equipment and materials from the United States, Europe, and Japan to improve their manufacturing capabilities.