UMC ends cooperation with Chinese DRAM maker Fujian Jinhua

Following the US export ban on Chinese DRAM maker Fujian Jinhua, Taiwanese foundry UMC has decided to end its R&D project with the Chinese chipmaker. UMC and Fujian Jinhua kicked off a DRAM chip development project in May 2016, but this is now coming to an end. The U.S. Commerce Department claims Fujian Jinhua is close to completing its DRAM fab and alleges that the technology was likely stolen in the US from Micron Technology. UMC says they're following regulations set forth by the US and Taiwan governments:

UMC and Jinhua started a project in May 2016 to develop technology for DRAM chips. Jinhua agreed to supply equipment and an unspecified amount of money to UMC for development of the technology at a UMC fab in Tainan, Taiwan. As part of the agreement, the partners would jointly own the technology. UMC planned to use the technology for its foundry customers and did not plan to enter DRAM production or invest in Jinhua.

“We are just following the regulations set forth by the Taiwan government and the U.S. government,” UMC spokesman Richard Yu told EE Times regarding the suspended R&D project. Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade issued a bulletin to domestic companies regarding business with Fujian Jinhua following the U.S. government ban.