Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said it received a one-year export license from the US Commerce Department for its Nanjing facility, securing operations at the plant as Washington tightens controls on chip technology exports to China.
The approval came just as TSMC’s Validated End User authorization was set to expire on December 31. Under the new license, suppliers can continue shipping US export-controlled items to the Nanjing fab without obtaining individual permits, TSMC said Tuesday.
The move mirrors similar annual licenses granted to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix earlier this week, according to Reuters. Both Korean memory chipmakers received 2026 permits allowing equipment imports to their China-based facilities.
TSMC’s Nanjing operations, which produce 16-nanometer and 28-nanometer chips, account for roughly 3% of the company’s global capacity. While modest compared to Samsung’s and SK Hynix’s substantial China footprint, the plant remains important for serving local customers in automotive and consumer electronics sectors.
The Trump administration revoked the previous blanket waiver system, citing concerns that existing export controls were too permissive. The shift to annual reviews introduces uncertainty for foreign chipmakers operating in China, though officials have indicated licenses would be granted for maintaining—not expanding—existing production capacity.
