According to Reuters, TSMC has recently suspended supplies to Chinese chip design company Suaneng Technology, as chips manufactured by TSMC were found in Huawei's AI processor, and Suaneng Technology may be a supplier for Huawei. This incident has raised concerns about potential violations of U.S. export control regulations, prompting investigations by the U.S. and Taiwanese governments. This matter also involves Bitcoin mining company Bitmain, as Suaneng Technology's co-founder is Bitmain founder Micree Zhan.
Rumors suggest that TSMC has suspended shipments to the Chinese company Suaneng Technology.
According to sources, the world's largest foundry, TSMC, has suspended supplies to Chinese chip design company Suaneng Technology. The reason for this supply suspension is that a product identical to the chip ordered by Suaneng Technology was found in Huawei's AI processor 'Ascend 910B'. TSMC's actions demonstrate the company's high regard for potential supply chain compliance issues, especially as U.S.-China technology competition intensifies.
Suaneng Technology denies having a direct cooperative relationship with Huawei, and Bitmain's statement refutes this.
Suaneng Technology stated on its official website that it fully complies with all relevant laws and has never established any business relationship with Huawei. Suaneng Technology noted that it has submitted a detailed investigation report to TSMC to demonstrate that the company's supply chain processes are unrelated to Huawei. It is worth mentioning that Suaneng Technology is considered affiliated with cryptocurrency mining equipment company Bitmain, and its association with the cryptocurrency industry has also raised external concerns. According to The Information, Bitmain and Suaneng Technology shared multiple domain name registration agencies and email addresses in 2019.
However, the company has previously faced reports of being a 'Huawei white glove', revealing that 'Xiamen Suaneng Technology Co., Ltd.'s legal representative is Zhao Hongai, holding about 30% of the shares, and after multiple layers of penetration, Bitmain co-founder Micree Zhan still holds more than 20% of Suaneng Technology.'
In response, Bitmain stated: 'Bitmain has no connection to the recent media reports regarding supply investigations, and any claims that Bitmain is involved in the aforementioned events are false reports.'
Suaneng Technology Statement: The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Taiwanese government quickly intervened in the investigation.
Regarding the incident, the U.S. Department of Commerce stated that it has noted reports of potential violations of export control regulations but did not disclose whether an investigation is underway. News from the Taiwanese government pointed out that TSMC quickly reported to the relevant agencies in Taiwan and the U.S. after discovering that its chips appeared in Huawei products, and initiated a detailed investigation of its supply chain. TSMC's actions highlight its cautious attitude towards technology transfer and export compliance issues.
TSMC emphasizes that it stopped supplying chips to Huawei since 2020.
TSMC states that it has fully stopped direct chip supplies to Huawei since mid-September 2020. The company also emphasizes that it has actively communicated with the U.S. Department of Commerce to ensure compliance with U.S. export control regulations. TSMC's position reflects the company's commitment to supply chain transparency and compliance operations in the global market environment.
TSMC's actions not only reflect the challenges the company faces under geopolitical and technology transfer pressures but also warn the global tech industry to pay more attention to compliance risks in the context of escalating U.S.-China tech competition. As the U.S. continues to strengthen its technology blockade against Huawei, multinational chip manufacturers like TSMC may face a more complex regulatory environment and compliance pressures in the future.
This article: TSMC ships 'Huawei's white glove'? Suaneng Technology and Bitmain both deny involvement in Huawei's supply chain first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.