China Denies SMIC Supplied Chip Tools to Iran Military

Beijing, March 27—China's foreign ministry on Friday dismissed as false a report alleging that the country's largest semiconductor manufacturer, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), supplied chipmaking tools to Iran's military, amid escalating tensions in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran.

The allegations, first detailed in a Reuters report, came from two unidentified senior officials in President Donald Trump's administration. They claimed SMIC began sending the equipment to Iran's armed forces approximately one year ago, with shipments continuing to the present. One official stated that the cooperation "almost certainly included technical training on semiconductor technology," while another noted the tools were provided to Iran's military-industrial complex and could support any electronics requiring chips. The officials did not clarify whether the equipment originated from the United States, which would constitute a violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran.

SMIC, which has faced U.S. restrictions since being added to a trade blacklist in 2020 over alleged ties to China's military—ties the company has denied—did not respond to requests for...