According to a report from American Bloomberg, President Joe Biden's administration plans to initiate an investigation into Chinese semiconductor companies to reduce dependence on US technology.
The investigation, as reported, could potentially lead to tariffs or other import restrictions on old or legacy semiconductors from China, widely used in a broad range of consumer products from smartphones to consumer electronics.
According to the report, Biden officials are concerned that without restrictions, Beijing could flood the US and global markets with cheap chips, weakening and driving out other companies.
The investigation could take several months to complete, and any resulting actions may impact the next administration under President Donald Trump, who has already proposed stricter tariffs on Chinese products.
Biden has already announced plans to raise tariffs on Chinese semiconductors from the current 25% rate to 50% by 2025.
The Biden administration has been trying to strengthen US chip makers through CHIPS and the Endless Frontier Act, supplying tens of billions of dollars to companies like Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) and Intel (NASDAQ: INTC).