For a long time, the press has been discussing the possible introduction by the current US authorities of sanctions against "unfriendly" countries in the supply of chip-making equipment, and this week it was revealed that a preliminary version of the new export control rules had been released for further public comment within 60 days.
It is clear that in the context of the pre-election race in the USA, the current government does not want to postpone the issue of the introduction of the new sanctions. As Bloomberg explains, special attention in the new edition of US export control rules is paid to restricting the access of "unfriendly countries" to technologies that enable the creation of quantum computers and advanced semiconductor components.
Technology used in their products by world leaders such as TSMC, Samsung and Intel will also be banned. It allows, regardless of lithographic standards, to increase the density of transistors and increase the performance of chips.
Specialized software, technologies for processing certain metals, HBM-type memory production equipment and such memory itself - all of this will require a special export license for delivery from the United States to other countries, but for its closest allies, the authorities are ready to make exceptions in the form of a simplified procedure for obtaining such licenses.
The Netherlands and Japan could be among the American favorites, but only if they are willing to support such restrictions on their part. With the growing importance of the Chinese market to the Netherlands and Japan, the authorities of both countries are faced with a difficult choice between political loyalty to an influential ally and material well-being.