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The United States has approved an annual export license allowing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to bring U.S.-origin chipmaking equipment into its manufacturing facility in Nanjing, China, the company confirmed on Thursday.

TSMC said the authorization will allow its China-based operations to continue without disruption, ensuring stable production and delivery schedules at the Nanjing fabrication plant.

The approval comes after previous exemptions that allowed certain Asian chipmakers to bypass individual export licenses expired at the end of December. Those exemptions, known as validated end-user status, had enabled companies to import restricted U.S. technology into China under broader permissions.

Similar Licenses Granted to Other Chipmakers

South Korean semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have also received comparable licenses from U.S. authorities, according to public disclosures.

Under the new framework, companies operating semiconductor facilities in China must obtain export licenses rather than relying on blanket waivers. The licenses apply to equipment classified as export-controlled under U.S. regulations.

TSMC said the license granted to its Nanjing unit allows suppliers to ship controlled U.S. equipment without requiring separate approvals for each vendor transaction.

Focus on Mature Chip Technology

The Nanjing facility produces 16-nanometer and other mature-node semiconductors rather than TSMC’s most advanced chips. The company also operates a separate fabrication plant in Shanghai.

In its most recent annual report, TSMC disclosed that the Nanjing operation accounted for roughly 2.4 percent of total company revenue, highlighting its limited but strategic role within the company’s global manufacturing network.

Part of Broader US-China Tech Controls

The licensing decision reflects Washington’s ongoing effort to balance restrictions on advanced technology exports to China while allowing continued production of less-sensitive semiconductor components. U.S. export controls have increasingly focused on cutting-edge chips used in artificial intelligence and advanced computing, rather than mature technologies.

TSMC said the license provides operational certainty for its China-based manufacturing activities as it continues to navigate evolving trade and technology regulations.