China Times recently reported that, despite the news about the U.S. planning to expand the export ban on Huawei, Huawei commented that it can still purchase critical chips from South Korea’s Samsung, Taiwan’s MediaTek and China’s own Spreadtrum Communications, instead of U.S. suppliers. Huawei currently depends on Taiwan’s TSMC to manufacture chips designed by itself. However, some industrial observers suggested Samsung and MediaTek may not be allowed to supply Huawei with the expanded U.S. ban because they use U.S. technology. Huawei insisted it can still move forward and there are other opportunities in Japan and Europe for supplies.
Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the Chinese government just granted special permission to allow 200 Samsung technicians to come into China and enter a NAND chip manufacturer in the city of Xi’an to help on factory expansion.
Sources:
(1) China Times, April 22, 2020
https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20200422001986-260410?chdtv
(2) Sina, April 23, 2020
https://k.sina.com.cn/article_6372825920_17bd99b4000101o5cs.html