Samsung told Reuters it has not tested AMEC equipment for use at its China factory and had not considered doing so. SK Hynix similarly said it has not tested AMEC tools for use in China, while separate reporting from TrendForce indicated the company declined to comment further on whether it was evaluating the Chinese supplier's equipment. A Shifting Regulatory LandscapeThe evaluations trace back to a series of regulatory changes affecting how Samsung and SK Hynix are permitted to supply their Chinese manufacturing facilities. Samsung operates a NAND flash memory chip plant in Xian, China, while SK Hynix runs NAND facilities in Dalian along with a DRAM memory chip plant in Wuxi. A Chinese Equipment Maker Closing the GapFor AMEC and China's broader emerging semiconductor equipment industry, winning even preliminary approval from Samsung or SK Hynix would represent a significant commercial endorsement.