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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
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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?
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