BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Responding to media on the U.S. government's consideration to add company to a trade blacklist, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMI) said that it is in complete shock and perplexity to the news. It has no relationship with the Chinese military.
The company said it is in discussion with the U.S. government agencies in hope of resolving potential misunderstandings. Any assumptions of the company's ties with the Chinese military are untrue statements and false accusations.
The Trump administration was considering whether to add China's top chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing to a trade blacklist, Reuters reported Friday, citing a Defense Department official.
The Trump administration's move is part of a continued effort to put pressure on China's technology firms and would mark a major escalation in the tech battle between the U.S. and China.
Meanwhile, Semiconductor Manufacturing said that in and before 2016, it had been granted Validated End-User authorization by the Bureau of Industry and Security or BIS and the company hosted several visits from U.S. government officials.
The company has been fully compliant with all rules and laws, since its inception. It has maintained long-term strategic partnerships with multiple U.S.-based semiconductor equipment suppliers.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX