According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China last week (November 18), China imported 4,226 semiconductor manufacturing equipment in October, with an import value of US$2.037 billion, a decrease of 39.8% and 23.1% respectively over the same period last year.
China's purchases in October were the lowest in more than two years and were significantly lower than in other months of the year, according to Bloomberg. According to reports, this decline may be related to the most severe semiconductor export sanctions to China that the United States took effect in early October. China cannot increase the corresponding purchases from non-US suppliers in a short period of time.
But even so, some equipment that makes older, less advanced chips is still allowed to be exported to China, and some foreign manufacturers with manufacturing plants in China have a one-year exemption.
On the other hand, although China's purchases from the United States and Japan have declined, China's imports from the Netherlands have doubled.
