sk hynix chips

Samsung, SK Hynix Assess Chinese Chip Equipment Amid Export Uncertainty

SHANGHAI/SEOUL — August 5, 2026

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have evaluated chipmaking equipment produced by China's Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) for possible use at their manufacturing facilities in China, as the South Korean memory chip makers prepare for the possibility of tighter U.S. export restrictions.

People familiar with the matter said the companies began testing AMEC's chip etching equipment about two years ago, when uncertainty increased over future access to U.S. semiconductor manufacturing tools for their Chinese operations. The evaluations are described as contingency planning rather than a decision to adopt Chinese equipment on a large scale.

Both Samsung and SK Hynix denied testing AMEC equipment for use at their factories in China. The companies also said they have not considered deploying the Chinese-made tools at those facilities.

The reported evaluations reflect concerns that future U.S. export controls could go beyond limiting sales of new equipment and eventually affect the servicing, maintenance, or replacement of existing Western-made machines operating in China.

Samsung manufactures NAND flash memory chips at its facility in Xi'an, while SK Hynix operates NAND production in Dalian and DRAM manufacturing in Wuxi. These factories rely heavily on semiconductor equipment supplied by major U.S. companies, including Applied Materials and Lam Research.

The U.S. government previously allowed both companies to import certain controlled semiconductor manufacturing equipment into China under special authorization. That arrangement later changed, with the companies receiving annual licenses to continue bringing approved equipment into their Chinese plants during 2026. Even so, uncertainty over future policy has encouraged manufacturers to consider alternative suppliers.

For AMEC, approval from globally recognized chipmakers such as Samsung or SK Hynix would represent a significant commercial milestone. Chinese semiconductor equipment manufacturers have narrowed the technology gap with international competitors in areas including etching, deposition, cleaning, and wafer processing, while generally offering lower prices.

Industry analysts estimate that Chinese chip equipment can cost 20% to 30% less than comparable products from established international suppliers. Growing demand within China's semiconductor industry has also strengthened domestic equipment manufacturers, which are expanding their share of the country's wafer fabrication market.

Despite those advances, several challenges remain before Chinese equipment could be adopted more broadly by international manufacturers. These include lengthy qualification processes, smaller global service networks, intellectual property concerns, and the possibility of additional political or regulatory restrictions.

At this stage, no decision has been announced to deploy Chinese chipmaking equipment in Samsung's or SK Hynix's production facilities. The reported evaluations remain part of broader efforts by semiconductor manufacturers to prepare for possible changes in global technology trade policies.