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India and Malaysia both eying bigger slice of semiconductor industry

India says it can become the world's largest semiconductor manufacturing location in the next 4-5 years, "if you have the right ecosystem in place", according to Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of India's Electronics and Information Technology Union. “We know for sure that...

Japan and U.K. deepen bilateral ties with new defense and tech pact

Britain and Japan have upgraded bilateral ties to an “enhanced” global strategic partnership after agreeing on a “landmark” deal to step up defense, trade and technology cooperation. Rishi Sunak announced £18 billion ($22.5 billion) of new investment by Japanese...

Reshoring gains momentum amid worsening geo-tensions

“We’re not looking to decouple from China. We’re looking to de-risk and diversify our relationship with China,” President Biden clarified before his departure after attending last week's three three-day summit with other G7 leaders in Hiroshima, Japan. Biden announced...

Taiwan placed at epicentre of US and China conflict

Tensions between the US and China are heightening in what is being described as the global battleground for semiconductors. According to The Guardian, the burgeoning conflict between the two nations can be seen in many areas but is most apparent in the semiconductor...

Britain risks chip-making future over Newport wafer fab – The Times

May 9, 2022
semiconductor manufacturing

Amid a global silicon shortage, is the UK missing its best shot to build a high-tech industry, asked yesterday’s Sunday Times.

According to reports, a review into the planned takeover of a Newport company, NWF, by a Chinese-owned firm, Nexperior, is being delayed, despite the Prime Minister’s assurance he had commissioned such a report. Concerns have been raised about the takeover of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia, a company with links to the Chinese Communist Party, over fears it could compromise national security.

Nexperia’s acquisition of NWF is a clear example of the incredibly complex regulatory environment surrounding semiconductor M&A. NWF is the UK’s largest producer of silicon wafers and specialises in high-end silicon semiconductor chips. In July 2021, Nexperia announced that it had acquired 100% ownership of NWF. Nexperia is a Dutch company, however it is ultimately owned by Wingtech Technology, a Shanghai listed company.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the UK House of Commons issued a report recommending that the UK Government call in the acquisition for urgent review and the Prime Minister announced a review by the National Security Advisor. Unusually, this review appears to be conducted outside the UK’s new (and very broad) National Security and Investment Act regime which came into force in January 2022.

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