TAIPEI, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Taiwan has been excluded from the new U.S. restrictions on the exports of artificial intelligence (AI) chips and technology. This exemption is seen as a vote of confidence in Taiwan's own regulations and adherence to the law, as confirmed by the island's government on Wednesday.
The United States announced on Monday additional controls on AI chip exports to ensure America and its allies retain superiority in advanced computing capabilities.
Under the new rules, there are limits on the export of AI chips to most countries, with a complete ban on exports to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. However, Taiwan, classified as a "tier one" partner, is granted unrestricted access to U.S. AI technology.
In response, Taiwan's Economy Ministry stated, "The inclusion of Taiwan as a 'tier one' partner, allowing it unlimited access to the tech, should provide confidence about our government's management and controls and companies' respect for the law."
The ministry also mentioned ongoing efforts to educate companies about relevant regulatory laws and trends by engaging U.S. officials and industry professionals, given the restrictions on AI technology dating back to 2022.
Taiwan is notably home to TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and a key supplier of chips to AI powerhouse Nvidia. The Taiwanese government, cautious of pressures from Beijing due to its claims over the island, already rigorously oversees chip exports to China and promises to uphold U.S. regulations.
In a past incident, TSMC halted shipments to a Chinese company after discovering that one of its chips had been illicitly integrated into Huawei's AI processor. Huawei, a Chinese tech giant, was placed on a U.S. list in 2019 for activities conflicting with U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, resulting in restrictions on exports to the company without proper licensing, which is usually denied.