Excluding Chinese gear is only half the story.
Aug. 29, 2025, Aug. 29, 2025 –
TSMC will no longer use Chinese-made equipment in its 2nm chip production lines, according to reports from both Digitimes and Nikkei Asia. The change comes as U.S. lawmakers advance the Chip EQUIP Act, a proposal that would prohibit companies receiving American subsidies from buying tools from “foreign entities of concern,” including Chinese firms such as AMEC and Mattson Technology.
Nikkei Asia writes that while Chinese equipment was present in TSMC’s earlier advanced fabs, the company has chosen to qualify only Japanese, American, and European tools as it ramps up 2nm production in Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, with Arizona to follow. That ensures its most advanced fabs are insulated from potential U.S. restrictions at a time when federal incentives are a crucial factor in global expansion.
The upcoming 2nm (N2) process marks a critical moment for the world’s largest contract chipmaker. It’ll be the first production technology by TSMC to feature gate-all-around (GAA) transistors, the chip industry’s first significant structural shift since FinFETs, and is expected to enter production within the next few months.
According to TSMC, 2nm will bring “full node improvements,” including a 10% to 15% boost in performance and a 25% to 30% reduction in power draw. With so much riding on the transition, TSMC’s choice of equipment suppliers has already had a huge impact on factors like yield, but now the company has to balance this with safeguarding U.S. market access and reassuring customers like Apple and Nvidia that production will not be disrupted by politics.
But while Nikkei Asia highlights the elimination of Chinese equipment, Digitimes paints a picture of broader supplier unease. The outlet reports that TSMC has begun auditing Taiwanese equipment and materials providers, focusing on profit margins and exposure to China.