US, Asian partners discussed supply chains in ‘Chip 4’ talks

The US and three Asian partners with major semiconductor industries held a meeting among their officials earlier this month to discuss the global chip supply chain. 

Officials from the so-called Chip 4 grouping of the US, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan held a video conference on Feb. 16 to discuss an early warning system to ensure a steady chip supply, a Taiwanese official familiar with the talks said Sunday. 

The parties held off on discussions concerning export controls and no company was involved in the meeting, the official said. Taiwan proposed for the four parties to exchange information on different parts of the supply chain as early as possible. Taiwan and South Korea are to focus on manufacturing, Japan on materials, and the US on its role as a major market, the official added.

Taiwan’s official Central News Agency and South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency also reported the talks took place, citing officials they did not identify by name.

The meeting comes as the Biden administration is seeking help from its global partners to impose sweeping curbs on the sale of advanced chips equipment to China in a policy aimed at preventing the country’s advance in a range of cutting-edge technologies that could threaten America’s status as the world’s preeminent power. 

China, which is the top trading partner with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, has said the US effort showed its “selfish hegemonic interest.” The US has secured an agreement with the Netherlands and Japan to restrict exports of some advanced chipmaking machinery to China.