China Targets U.S. Analog Chips After 32 Firms Blacklisted

- China probes U.S. analog IC dumping claims and discriminatory practices. - Investigations follow U.S. move to blacklist 32 entities citing military ties and security concerns. On September 13, 2025, China launched two separate investigations into U.S. semiconductor trade practices ahead of scheduled trade talks in Madrid, Spain. The first probe targets the alleged dumping of analog integrated circuit (IC) chips imported from the United States, which China claims harms its manufacturers with unfairly low prices. According to reports from Cryptopolitan, the South China Morning Post, and Xinhua News Agency on September 13, the second inquiry focuses on alleged discriminatory practices against Chinese semiconductor firms. These actions mark a significant escalation in the semiconductor trade conflict between the two nations. China's Ministry of Commerce stated the anti-dumping investigation will last for one year, although the ministry may extend the probe to determine if dumping occurred and to assess its impact on local producers. The analog IC chips under scrutiny play critical roles in consumer electronics, automotive systems, and industrial applications. The investigations follow the United States' decision last Friday to blacklist 32 entities, most of them Chinese, citing national security concerns and military links. The targets include firms reportedly associated with Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) and Shanghai Fudan Microelectronics Technology Co. The U.S. Commerce Department accused GMC Semiconductor Technology (Wuxi) Co and Jicun Semiconductor Technology of purchasing U.S. chipmaking equipment for sanctioned SMIC divisions and also added Shanghai Fudan Microelectronics to the Entity List, alleging it aided China's military modernization and facilitated technology transfers to Russia. The blacklist also included firms in India, Iran, Turkey, and the UAE. This move broadens U.S. restrictions due to security and geopolitical concerns, and China’s response, in turn, adds further strain to the global semiconductor supply chain and to bilateral relations between the world's largest economies.