TSMC said in a statement to Reuters it is preparing and will respond to the U.S. request for information.
“TSMC has been actively supporting and working with all stakeholders to overcome the global semiconductor supply challenge,” it said.
“Looking forward, to increase the demand visibility in this complex supply chain should be the path to avoid such shortages from happening in the future. We have been a strong partner in this effort and will continue taking actions to address this challenge.”
A GM spokesperson confirmed the Commerce Department statement, saying the company “will submit data within the requested timeframe,” while Infineon declined to comment on “ongoing communications with governments.” Intel and SK Hynix did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
South Korea’s trade ministry has also expressed concern over the request.
“The scope of the requested data is vast and a number of operational secrets are included, which is a big concern in South Korea,” it said in an Oct. 6 statement.
However, South Korea’s trade minister, Moon Sung-wook, told a parliamentary committee on Thursday that companies were preparing to review and submit data that can be provided without violating contractual confidentiality provisions or domestic laws.
Many global automakers, including GM, Toyota Motor Corp. and Renault, have slashed output and sales forecasts due to scarce chip supplies, made worse by a COVID-19 resurgence in key Asian semiconductor production hubs. Automotive suppliers have also been reporting a pinch in their quarterly profits.
