bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Lilian Zhang

Micron Technology, the United States’ largest memory chip maker, has become the first foreign semiconductor company to be put under a cybersecurity review by China, months after the American tech firm closed its DRAM design operations in Shanghai at the end of last year.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said in a statement on Friday that it launched an investigation into Micron’s products in China to “safeguard key information infrastructure supply chain security” and “prevent cyberspace security risks due to problematic products”.
Boise, Idaho-based Micron said in a statement on Saturday that it was “in communication with the CAC and cooperating fully”. The company said it was “committed to conducting all business with uncompromising integrity” and stands by the security of its products.
The CAC’s move threatens to heat up tensions between Beijing and Washington, following US-led initiatives to tighten exports of advanced chips and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to China. The following are some points for discussion regarding this latest development in the US-China tech war.

Why has China opened a cybersecurity review into a foreign semiconductor firm?
The investigation comes at a time when China has been hemmed in on all sides of the semiconductor market by the US and its allies, even as Beijing pushes its self-sufficiency drive to cut the country’s reliance on American-made technologies.
So it appears to be about “sending a warning signal” to neighbouring countries like Japan and South Korea, according to Wang Lifu, analyst at Shanghai-based semiconductor research firm ICwise.
Those two countries and Taiwan have joined the US-led Chip 4 Alliance, which is seen by Beijing as a plot by Washington to exclude China from semiconductor supply chains. Senior officials of this group already held their first video meeting in February to discuss supply chain resilience.
In particular, South Korea is expected to take notice of the CAC’s cybersecurity review of Micron, according to Wang at ICwise. For Korean memory chip makers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which still have manufacturing facilities in China, the investigation provided a cautionary sign not to follow US actions, he said.
That caution would also extend to the Netherlands, following a reported agreement between the Dutch, Japanese and US governments to restrict exports of some advanced chip-making machinery to China. That has created a powerful new alliance that could undercut Beijing’s ambitions to build up China’s domestic chip capabilities.

Why did China target Micron for investigation?
Before the cybersecurity review of Micron was announced, Beijing had not taken any major steps to hit back at the US for implementing stringent restrictions on advanced chip exports to China on grounds of national security.
Micron has been perceived by the Chinese government as “playing a negative role” in the country’s technology industry, ICwise analyst Wang said. “There is some speculation that Micron was behind efforts to push the US government to impose sanctions against China”.
Micron was said to be among several US semiconductor firms that increased their lobbying spending since the Biden administration enacted into law the CHIPS and Science Act in August last year, offering US$52 billion in federal funding for chip production in the US. Months before that legislation became law, Micron announced the closing of its Shanghai chip design centre at the end of 2022 and offered 150 Chinese engineers relocation packages to the US or India.
In 2017, Fujian Jinhua Integrated Circuit Co, a state-owned memory plant maker in southeastern Fujian province, was accused by the US of stealing technologies from Micron. The Chinese firm subsequently suspended production after it was sanctioned by Washington.
Micron previously warned of the risks of being excluded from the China market. In its 2021 financial report, Micron said Beijing’s support for domestic DRAM makers could restrict its growth. Unlike semiconductor equipment from ASML or graphics chips from Nvidia, Micron’s products can be easily replaced in China with those from local suppliers such as Yangtze Memory Technologies Co and Korean firms Samsung and SK Hynix.


How significant would be the impact of Micron’s cybersecurity review?
The CAC’s investigation comes at a time when Micron appears to be vulnerable. Mainland China accounts for more than 10 per cent of Micron’s total sales, which makes the country its third-largest market behind the US and Taiwan.
Micron last week reported a net loss of US$2.3 billion in the second quarter ended March 2 of its latest financial year, owing to a sharp drop in demand for 3D NAND products, marking the company’s worst quarterly loss in the past two decades. As a result, Micron said it will accelerate lay-offs, reducing its workforce by nearly 15 per cent this year, as a measure to adapt to declining global demand for computers and other electronics that use its products. The job cuts will affect about 7,200 employees worldwide.
Amid that industry slowdown, China’s Micron investigation could potentially benefit the firm’s competitors in the global memory chip market.
As such, the proceedings related to the investigation and its ultimate result is expected to be closely watched by other multinational companies with business in China. For US tech firms, the CAC’s cybersecurity review has added a new regulatory risk to doing business in China, as all foreign companies also must deal with the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission.

What is the likely outcome of the Micron investigation?
While the CAC’s cybersecurity investigation takes at least 30 days to be completed, the process can take much longer if the case is complicated, according to Beijing-based semiconductor lawyer Feng Qiong, citing China’s Cybersecurity Review Measures.
The CAC’s cybersecurity review of Didi Chuxing, for example, took a year before the agency slapped a fine of 8.026 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) on the Chinese ride-hailing giant.
Feng said China could impose various “penalties and restrictive measures” if Micron’s products were found to have cybersecurity issues. “The possibility of applying the stricter liabilities under the National Security Law can’t be excluded,” she said.
Wang of ICwise, meanwhile, said fines would represent “the mildest warning” for Micron. If there is “no remorse or any change” implemented by the company after the review, “the next step could be restrictions or even a ban on market access”.
“This move reflects a certain attitude from government officials who would say the market can be opened up to you and you will be given some carrots, but if you offend us, we can hit back with sticks,” Wang said.


Why China launched a cybersecurity review into US memory chip maker Micron Technology and what could happen next

Micron Technology, the United States’ largest memory chip maker, is now under scrutiny in China. Photo: Shutterstock

Mainland China accounts for more than 10 per cent of Micron’ Technology’s total sales, which makes the country its third-largest market behind the US and Taiwan. Photo: Shutterstock

An aerial view of Micron Technology’s headquarters and main production complex in Boise, Idaho. Photo: Shutterstock

A new package of Micron Technology’s 64-gigabyte random access memory chips is seen with a computer in the background. Photo: Shutterstock

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Micron Technology has become the first foreign semiconductor company to be put under a cybersecurity review by China
The move threatens to heat up tensions between Beijing and Washington, following US-led initiatives to restrict advanced chip tech exports to China


Micron Technology, the United States’ largest memory chip maker, has become the first foreign semiconductor company to be put under a cybersecurity review by China.


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Explainer

Explainer | Why China launched a cybersecurity review into US memory chip maker Micron Technology and what could happen next

Micron Technology has become the first foreign semiconductor company to be put under a cybersecurity review by China The move threatens to heat up tensions between Beijing and Washington, following US-led initiatives to restrict advanced chip tech exports to China

Micron Technology has become the first foreign semiconductor company to be put under a cybersecurity review by China

The move threatens to heat up tensions between Beijing and Washington, following US-led initiatives to restrict advanced chip tech exports to China