US approves 2026 China chip tool shipments for Samsung and SK Hynix

The United States has approved annual licences allowing Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to ship AI chip manufacturing equipment to their facilities in China during 2026, according to two people familiar with the decision.

The approval allows the South Korean companies to continue bringing in American chipmaking tools to their Chinese operations next year. The people said the licences will need to be renewed annually.

The decision provides temporary relief for the companies. It follows a move by Washington earlier this year to revoke broader licence waivers that had applied to some technology firms operating in China.

One of the sources said the U.S. government has introduced an annual approval system for exports of chipmaking tools to China. Under this approach, companies must receive clearance each year rather than relying on long-term exemptions.

Samsung, SK Hynix and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company had previously benefited from exemptions to wide-ranging U.S. restrictions on chip-related exports to China. Those exemptions were granted under a programme known as validated end user status.

That status is due to expire on December 31. After that date, shipments of American chipmaking equipment to factories in China will require specific export licences from the U.S. government.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix declined to comment on the approval. TSMC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The U.S. Department of Commerce was not available for comment outside business hours.

The United States has been tightening controls on the transfer of advanced technology to China. The administration of President Donald Trump has been reviewing export controls it believes were too permissive under the previous Biden administration.

The aim of the review has been to curb China’s access to advanced American technology, particularly in sectors viewed as strategically sensitive, including semiconductors.

Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest memory chipmaker, and SK Hynix, the second-largest, both operate major production facilities in China. The country is a key manufacturing base for traditional memory chips used in a wide range of devices.

Demand for these chips has been rising, driven by growth in artificial intelligence data centres. At the same time, tighter supplies have pushed up prices, increasing the importance of stable production at existing facilities.

The annual licences allow the companies to maintain operations while broader U.S. export policies toward China continue to evolve.