BLOOMBERG – China imported USD407 million worth of chipmaking machinery from Singapore in April, according to the latest Chinese customs data.
It was the highest amount since August, rising 9.6 per cent from March and going against the wider trend of diminishing semiconductor exports to China. The country overall imported 27 per cent less in chipmaking gear during April than the prior year.
Singapore’s shipments to China of integrated circuit chips also increased 3.5 per cent last month compared to March. Other major suppliers from Asia all posted a drop in their chips export to the world’s second-largest economy, matching the trend with chip fabrication machinery.
The city-state aims to win its “fair share” of investments in semiconductor assembly and integrated circuit design, Chairman of Singapore’s Economic Development Board Beh Swan Gin said in an interview in February. The world’s top tech and electronics companies are looking to diversify geographically – away from China and highly-concentrated chipmaking hubs like South Korea – opening greater opportunity for the likes of Singapore.
Applied Materials Inc makes chipmaking machinery in Singapore, while chipmakers with local bases include Soitec, GlobalFoundries Inc and STMicroelectronics NV.
Suppliers to ASML Holding NV are also considering building plants in Southeast Asia instead of China, Reuters reported in March.
“Singapore as you know has always wanted to do business with both,” said Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong in an interview with Bloomberg television in March.