U.S. lawmakers push for broader bans on chipmaking equipment to China after Chinese chipmakers spent $38 billion on gear last year, leading to inconsistencies in rules among countries and a 66% increase in purchases from top suppliers such as Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron, per a House report.

The bipartisan committee recommends wider bans on chipmaking tool sales to China to limit the country’s competitiveness in semiconductor manufacturing, impacting global human rights and democratic values. Previous restrictions have led to a substantial increase in Chinese purchases of advanced equipment from top suppliers.

Both U.S. Democratic and Republican administrations aim to limit China’s microchip production, essential for technologies like artificial intelligence and military capabilities. The U.S. and China are also competing to sell advanced technology to other countries, driving the need for stricter regulations on chip equipment sales.

Tokyo Electron’s U.S. president notes a decline in industry sales to China this year due to new regulations, emphasizing the importance of U.S.-Japan coordination. U.S. officials are still working towards desired outcomes in regulating chipmaking tool sales to China, recognizing the need for continued efforts.

ASML and KLA declined to comment, while Applied Materials and Lam Research did not respond to requests. The committee confirms toolmakers cooperated with the report’s investigation, highlighting concerns over specific Chinese firms such as SwaySure Technology, Shenzhen Pengxinxu Technology, and SiEn Integrated Circuits for security reasons.

Three Chinese firms flagged for security concerns by U.S. congressional leaders were accused of aiding Huawei Technologies through a secret network. The Commerce Department barred exports to these firms in December, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to regulate sensitive technology sales to China.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: US lawmakers call for broader bans on chipmaking tool sales to China