Report: US Microchip CEOS May Visit Washington Next Week to Discuss Biden's China Policy

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger and Qualcomm chief Cristiano Amon are reportedly making plans to visit Washington next week for talks with government officials about US policies toward China, including trade restrictions.

The trip comes as trade tensions between the US and China are on the rise. Earlier in July, Beijing imposed supply restrictions on gallium and germanium, two minerals used to make microchips, in retaliation to US measures targeting Chinese technology.

Citing two sources familiar with the matter, US media reported that possible topics of discussion are likely to be the export rules the US may impose affecting high-performance computing chips and shipments to Huawei Technologies.

Intel is preparing a new artificial intelligence chip that could reportedly be shipped to China while Qualcomm has a license to sell semiconductors to Huawei.

The heads of other semiconductor companies may also come to Washington next week, the media said, adding that Intel and Qualcomm declined to publicly comment while White House officials did not immediately respond.

Gelsinger this week wrapped a "low key" trip to China, his second in three months, where he was supposed to meet with Chinese regulators, according to media.

In October, the Biden administration unveiled rules designed to thwart the growth of China's semiconductor industry as the US developed its own microchip capabilities.