China’s foreign ministry has firmly rejected allegations that its leading semiconductor manufacturer, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), has been exporting critical chipmaking technology to Iran. The ministry described these claims as “false information.”
The denial comes after a report cited two unnamed senior officials from the administration of former US President Donald Trump, alleging that SMIC began shipping chipmaking tools to Tehran about a year ago. A US official mentioned there was “no reason to believe” that these shipments had stopped.
During a routine press briefing in Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressed unfamiliarity with the specific situation but criticized recent media reports. He noted that some outlets have been eager to publish stories that appear credible but are ultimately incorrect, and that further verification has shown these reports to be unfounded.
China continues to be an important partner to Iran but has adopted a cautious diplomatic approach since the conflict escalated following US-Israeli strikes on February 28. While Beijing condemned the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it has distanced itself from Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Gulf countries hosting US military forces.
In a notable development, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi recently spoke with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, urging all involved parties to “seize every window for peace” and to begin formal negotiations aimed at de-escalation.
