FAST FIVE: U.S. Officials Consider Banning Exports To Chinese Chipmaker SMIC US Officials Consider Banning Exports To Chinese Chipmaker SMIC Throwing another wrench in the gears of the global semiconductor SNAFU and geopolitical tensions with China is a new report that US officials are considering banning exports to Chinese chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC). SMIC had been taking advantage of a regulatory loophole to buy US technology, but the Defense Department has introduced a proposal to block exports, Reuters reported Friday morning. Meanwhile, some Commerce Department officials are trying to stop the Defense Department's proposal. The blacklisting is due...