The German government is considering limiting exports of chemicals used to manufacture semiconductors to China, according to an exclusive report from Bloomberg. Sources told the outlet that Germany’s President Olaf Scholz has been discussing a series of measures to restrict China’s access to goods and services necessary for advanced semiconductor production. If the proposal is implemented, German companies such as tech giant Merck KGaA and chemical giant BASF SE will be prohibited from selling semiconductor chemicals to China. While Germany does not possess advanced chip-making technology, Merck and BASF are global providers of key chemicals necessary for semiconductor production. Merck’s products and services are found in almost every chip worldwide, while BASF is a market leader in Europe and Asia, with customers including TSMC. Without supplies from these two companies, China may encounter further obstacles in developing advanced chip technology. [Bloomberg]
