Recently, according to media reports, TSMC has sent an official notice to a large number of IC chip design companies in Chinese Mainland that, from January 31, 2025, if the products related to the 16/14nm and below process are not packaged in the "approved OSAT" white list of the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and TSMC has not received the certified signature copy of the packaging factory, the shipment of these products will be suspended.

    This decision is clearly TSMC's cooperation with the latest export control ban announced by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the US Department of Commerce in January.

    According to the new regulations, chips with processes of 16/14 nanometers and below must be packaged in approved packaging and testing factories in the United States, otherwise shipments will be suspended.

    Industry insiders analyze that TSMC's power outage this time may be due to pressure from the US government. In recent years, the United States has continuously strengthened its suppression of China's semiconductor industry, attempting to curb China's development in the high-tech field. As the world's largest chip foundry with advanced process technology and a large customer base, TSMC has naturally become a key target of pressure from the United States.

    The relevant departments and enterprises in Chinese Mainland have not yet made a formal response to the interruption. However, it is certain that this will further exacerbate the tension in the global semiconductor industry chain and urge Chinese Mainland to accelerate the pace of independent research and development and domestic substitution. On the one hand, chip supply of related enterprises in Chinese Mainland will be affected, which may lead to product release delay, capacity constraints and other problems. On the other hand, the global semiconductor industry chain will become more unstable, and chip prices may further rise.

    This event once again highlighted the importance of the semiconductor industry. It is believed that Chinese Mainland will more firmly follow the path of independent research and development and domestic substitution, and increase investment in the semiconductor industry.