By Ann Cao Coco Feng
The US said on Thursday it had lifted export controls on certain chip design software to China, according to statements from Siemens, Synopsys and Cadence Design Systems.
Three of the world鈥檚 largest electronic design automation (EDA) software developers have been informed by the US government that sales of their products to China would no longer require special approval, signalling a further easing of bilateral tensions.
San Jose, California-based Cadence said in an email that the US Bureau of Industry and Security, under the Department of Commerce, 鈥渉as rescinded the export restrictions鈥 that were imposed late in May.
Synopsys, headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, referenced a letter from the Commerce Department, confirming that the recently imposed curbs on sales to China 鈥渉ave now been rescinded, effective immediately鈥, in a statement on the company鈥檚 website.
Siemens Digital Industries Software, located in Plano, Texas, also received notification regarding the end of the export control, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Thursday.
Both Cadence and Synopsys have said that they were working to restore access to their software and technology for China-based clients. Siemens has already reinstated access, according to the CCTV report.
The policy change follows a trade agreement reached between Beijing and Washington last week.
China鈥檚 Ministry of Commerce said it 鈥渨ould review and approve export applications for controlled items in line with laws and regulations, while the US side will correspondingly lift a series of restrictive measures against China鈥.
Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens held a combined 82 per cent share of China鈥檚 EDA market last year, according to research by Morgan Stanley in May. Chipmakers use such tools to design semiconductors used in a wide range of products, including smartphones, computers and cars.
More to follow 鈥