August 6, 2026Inside sources have told Reuters that South Korean electronics giants Samsung and SK Hynix are evaluating the possible use of chipmaking equipment from Chinese manufacturer AMEC in their Chinese production facilities. The reported move is understood to be a hedge against tightening US export controls. Samsung and SK Hynix—like many companies—manufacture a large portion of their products in China, which provides cheap labor and well-developed supply chains. And rather than moving their entire facilities to countries that can import American chipmaking technology, the obviously simpler answer would be to just buy Chinese equipment. If Samsung and SK Hynix do start to use AMEC equipment, it may be a huge boost for the reputation of the Chinese company, and may cause others to follow suit.