China has launched two major investigations targeting the U.S. semiconductor sector just days ahead of scheduled high-level talks between the two countries on trade, technology, and national security issues, Bloomberg reported.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, the investigations include an anti-dumping probe into certain American-made analog integrated circuits (ICs) — products commonly supplied by U.S. firms such as Texas Instruments Inc. and Analog Devices Inc. — and an anti-discrimination inquiry into U.S. restrictions on China’s chip industry.
These moves follow closely after the U.S. government added 23 more China-based companies to its entity list, which restricts businesses believed to be acting against national security or foreign policy interests. Bloomberg noted that this tit-for-tat escalation in trade measures underscores rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
“The U.S. has taken a series of prohibitions and restrictions against China in the field of integrated circuits over recent years, including 301 investigations and export control measures,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Those protectionist practices are suspected of discrimination against China and are a containment and suppression of China’s development of advanced computing chips and high-tech industries such as artificial intelligence.”
The investigations come ahead of a critical meeting between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Madrid, where both sides are expected to address trade negotiations, economic concerns, national security, and contentious issues such as the future of ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok. Bloomberg reports that U.S. officials are also pressing for agreements on money laundering prevention.
Semiconductors remain at the heart of the dispute. Bloomberg highlights that the U.S. has restricted China’s access to advanced AI accelerators and has used the licensing of some Nvidia Corp. chips as leverage in negotiations. Meanwhile, Beijing has warned of security concerns and pushed back against such moves.
This marks China’s first use of an anti-circumvention investigation in recent weeks, which led to anti-dumping duties on U.S. optical fiber imports — a tactic expected to gain prominence in future trade confrontations, according to state media.
Bloomberg also notes that the anti-dumping investigation is expected to last about a year, with the possibility of a six-month extension if necessary. The anti-discrimination probe is anticipated to conclude within three months.
As both nations brace for a potentially fraught dialogue, the semiconductor industry continues to serve as a key flashpoint in the broader competition over technology dominance and global supply chains.
