Taiwan Plans Tighter Controls on AI Chip Exports to China

Taiwan plans to place AI servers and advanced semiconductors under tighter export controls for shipments to China, bringing its rules closer to U.S. restrictions on advanced technology.

Minister of Economic Affairs 龔明鑫 confirmed the plan in an Oct. 12 interview. He linked the alignment to commitments in a trade agreement Taiwan signed with the United States this year.

Taiwan plans to add AI servers and advanced semiconductors to its controlled-goods list. 龔明鑫 described the commitments as substantial. The government has not announced when the controls would begin or detailed all covered items.

After implementation, shipping controlled AI hardware to China could violate Taiwan’s Trade Act and constitute a criminal offense, 龔明鑫 said. The plan would bring Taiwan’s controls closer to U.S. restrictions on advanced chip shipments to China.

Taiwan is also responding to U.S. concerns about export controls. President 賴清德 has said the government would address those concerns, without detailing additional steps.