The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced today that it has revised the export control list of strategic high-tech goods, adding a total of 18 new control items, including three categories: high-end 3D printing equipment, advanced semiconductor equipment, and quantum computers. If Taiwanese manufacturers want to export, they must apply for a strategic high-tech goods export license from the Trade Department in advance.
The Trade Department today announced amendments to the "Strategic High-tech Goods Categories, Specific Strategic High-tech Goods Categories and Export Control Areas", the "Military-Commercial Dual-Use Goods and Technology Export Control List" and the "General Military Goods List" for a period of 60 days.
This revision adds a total of 18 high-tech control items, covering 3 categories, high-end 3D printing equipment; advanced semiconductor equipment, including complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits, cryogenic cooling systems, scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipment, low-temperature wafer testing equipment and other semiconductor-related equipment; quantum computers.
The Trade Department pointed out that if Taiwanese factories want to export controlled goods, they must apply for a strategic high-tech goods export license from the International Trade Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in advance. If the Trade Department verifies that the export transaction does not pose a risk of arms expansion, it will grant an export license and allow the manufacturer to export. The Trade Department is working under international cooperation to prevent the risk of goods being used for armed expansion activities, but it is not a ban on exports.
The Trade Department stated that in order to align the content of Taiwan's controlled goods list with international export control organizations and assist manufacturers in export control, it proposed amendments to the 114-year "Export Control List of Dual-Use Goods and Technologies" and the "General Military Goods List" with reference to international export control norms and conventions such as the Wassenaar Agreement, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Agreement, the Australia Group, and the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The Trade Department added that the Ministry of Economic Affairs revise the above list every year with reference to international norms. This approach is the same as that of allied countries. The basis for the amendment is Article 13, Paragraph 3 of the Trade Act.