"US Semiconductor Association's Comments to Government Reveal 'Confidential Data Requests' Harm Companies"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) of the United States, which has been working closely with the Joe Biden administration to secure dominance over the semiconductor supply chain, criticized the U.S. government's semiconductor information submission demands, stating that "top-down government-led efforts cannot solve the semiconductor shortage problem," and warned that such information requests could actually cause significant harm to companies.

According to industry sources on the 12th, the SIA analyzed in its opinion document submitted to the U.S. Department of Commerce on the 8th (local time) regarding the semiconductor supply chain, "Semiconductor manufacturers are striving to increase production by all possible means in the short term, and production levels far exceed those before COVID-19, but supply chain issues persist."

The SIA stated, "The global semiconductor shortage cannot be resolved simply by a government-led, top-down allocation of the currently limited supply chain," adding, "Incorrect allocation is not the core issue here. The urgent and fundamental changes depend on the occurrence of an unprecedented event in the history of our industry, nation, and the global economy, which has altered market demand."

Additionally, the SIA pointed out that the confidential information survey requested by the U.S. Department of Commerce could be harmful to the semiconductor industry. The SIA expressed concern that "the scope of information requested by the government, such as sensitive business matters or market decisions, could lead to negative outcomes for our industry and the overall economy." It further added, "The Department of Commerce is requesting confidential materials such as customer lists that semiconductor companies are contractually obligated to protect," and "disclosing this information would cause very serious damage to those companies."

This reaction from the SIA is somewhat unusual. The SIA, representing the U.S. semiconductor industry including manufacturers, designers, and equipment makers, has aligned with the Biden administration's policy direction by publishing reports emphasizing the need to strengthen the semiconductor supply chain. However, given the broad scope of information requested by the Department of Commerce, especially the demand for customer lists, which sparked significant industry backlash, the SIA appears to have openly expressed dissatisfaction with the U.S. government.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.