China’s Chip Industry Dismayed by Multilateral Export Controls

Creative translation by China’s SIA in their press release responding to the US/JP/NL export controls reveals all

The following is a guest commentary. Emily Jin currently works as a research assistant for the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security.

Media reports from late January indicated that Japan and the Netherlands were prepared to follow the US in applying semiconductor export controls on China — and last week the government of the Netherlands made the first concrete move by announcing export restrictions on advanced immersion DUV systems to China. On February 15, China’s primary trade association for semiconductor firms, the China Semiconductor Industry Association (CSIA), released an official statement condemning the measures. The statement protested the trilateral export controls, warning that such measures would gravely damage the Chinese semiconductor industry and bring harm to the global semiconductor ecosystem. The Chinese statement was then followed by a “suggested translation” (参考译文).

Helpful, right?

In reality, the English translation did a poor job of conveying the full extent of the trade association’s dismay. A closer reading revealed two important omissions and one mistranslation, together making a strong case that the suggested English translation was intended to appear more calm and tempered in front of an international audience. In fact, the original Chinese statement takes a much more indignant tone, reading more like an impassioned call to action to the Chinese domestic semiconductor industry to get its act together.

Let’s examine the two omitted sentences.

First, in a section contextualizing the significance of semiconductors as the core of global digital infrastructure, the CSIA’s English translation omitted the fragment: semiconductors “are the precondition for mankind to close the digital divide” (是全人类消除数字鸿沟的前提).

This line is curious. It’s unclear why CSIA decided not to convey to its international audience that semiconductors are vital to bridging the global digital divide. It is possible the trade association wished to appear unflappable.

Second, before CSIA implored the global semiconductor industry and academic community to promote collaborative innovation with Chinese actors, this sentence was struck from the organization’s English translation: “China’s semiconductor market has always maintained open cooperation” (中国半导体市场始终坚持开放合作). 

The reason behind this omission may be that China in practice does not actually see itself maintaining open cooperation, or would rather agree to open cooperation on its own terms. Trade and investment barriers such as forced joint-venture arrangements and practices such as pressuring foreign firms to localize production do not exactly champion open cooperation.

There was also one egregious mistranslation. 

The CSIA translation stated that “inappropriate intervention by government and authorities can cause disruption to our industry.” This line sounds like a fairly even-toned statement from the Chinese perspective — except that the original wording of the sentence sounded a bit more emotive and existential: “Any man-made action to tear apart the global industrial system will cause immeasurable harm to the lives and development of people around the world” (任何人为撕裂全球产业体系的行为都会对全球人民的生活及发展造成不可度量的伤害).

In the more precise translation, a direct line is drawn between the potential export control measures from the US, Japan, and the Netherlands and the decimation of global economic competitiveness and prosperity. The misleading translation provided in the CSIA text — “inappropriate intervention by government and authorities can cause disruption to our industry” — sounds far more neutral compared to its more precise translation.

In the scarce space of a sub-800-character statement, two omissions and one mistranslation have changed the tone from (the original Chinese statement’s) grand indignation to (the CSIA-translated English statement’s) stern but perhaps fair displeasure. This translation gap indicates that the Chinese trade association is attempting to message at two levels. On one of them, it is mobilizing participants in the Chinese domestic semiconductor industry to face the grave challenge posed by countries with choke point technologies. On the other, it is signaling to international actors (for instance, counterpart organizations such as the Semiconductor Industry Association, with whom CSIA has established a working group, as well as foreign governments) that China is keen on a more open semiconductor ecosystem.

To be fair, the translation is broadly sufficient, and we cannot totally rule out the possibility that the English translation was just sloppy, without the conscious intent to mislead. As consumers of information, however, we should always be skeptical about the quality of information that comes from secondary sources, especially across translated texts provided by one of the parties involved. The CSIA statement’s two omissions and one mistranslation change its tone and messaging enough that the translation differences cannot be chalked up to lexicon preferences alone.

---

CSIA Statement

中国半导体行业协会

China Semiconductor Industry Association

中国半导体行业协会严正声明

China Semiconductor Industry Association Stern Statement

据海外媒体报道，美国、荷兰、日本三国政府达成协议，将对中国芯片制造施加新的设备出口管制和限制。此举如果成为现实，在对中国半导体产业造成巨大伤害的同时，也将对全球产业及经济造成难以估量的伤害，对全球最终消费者的利益造成长期伤害。

CSIA’s translation:

According to overseas media reports, the governments of the United States, the Netherlands and Japan have reached an agreement to impose new export controls and restrictions on chip manufacturing in China. If the move becomes a reality, it will cause serious harm to the semiconductor industry in China, with detriment to the global economy, as well as long-term damages to the interests of consumers world-wide.

Closer translation:

According to overseas media reports, the governments of the United States, the Netherlands, and Japan have reached an agreement to impose new equipment export controls and restrictions on Chinese chip manufacturing. If this move becomes a reality, it will cause great harm to China’s semiconductor industry, and also cause immeasurable damage to the global industry and economy, and long-term harm to the interests of consumers worldwide.

中国半导体行业协会反对这一破坏现有全球半导体产业生态的行为。反对这一干涉全球贸易自由化，扭曲供需关系和供需平衡的行为。反对这一试图将中国半导体产业排除在全球产业体系及市场自由竞争之外的行为！

CSIA’s translation:

CSIA protests against the act of destroying the existing global semiconductor ecology. CSIA opposes the act of interfering in global trade liberalization, distorting the balance of supply and demand. CSIA also objects to the attempt to exclude China’s semiconductor from the global innovation system and free competition market.

Closer translation:

CSIA objects to the kind of behavior that damages the existing global semiconductor industry ecosystem. CSIA objects to the kind of behavior that disrupts global commercial liberalization, and distorts supply and demand balance and relationships. CSIA objects to the kind of behavior that tries to exclude China’s semiconductor industry from free competition in the global industrial ecosystem and market!

半导体是全球数字基础设施的核心，是全人类消除数字鸿沟的前提，更是现代社会民生保障的基础。半导体产业是一个全球化的产业，长期以来高度依赖全球分工与合作，任何人为撕裂全球产业体系的行为都会对全球人民的生活及发展造成 不可度量的伤害 。

CSIA’s translation:

Semiconductor is at the core of the global digital infrastructure which sets the foundation for a lot of people’s livelihood in our modern society. The semiconductor industry is a global industry, and highly dependent on innovation and cooperation. Inappropriate intervention by government and authorities can cause disruption to our industry.

Closer translation:

Semiconductor is the core of global digital infrastructure, and is the precondition for mankind to close the digital divide, and it is also the foundation for modern welfare for the people. The semiconductor industry is a globalized industry, and has long heavily relied on globalized division of labor and cooperation, that any man-made* act of tearing apart the global industrial system will cause immeasurable harm to the lives and development of people around the world.

* Man-made here ostensibly refers to particular governments’ policy decisions, not the regular shortage-glut fluctuations from industry cycles.

开放合作是创造价值和促进全球进步的最佳选择。回顾全球半导体产业60余年的发展历程，产业之所以呈现出如今的繁荣景象，正是依赖于全球化市场以及全球化合作创新，这也是半导体产业发展的核心驱动力。

CSIA’s translation:

Cooperation and collaboration has long been the best option to create value and to promote progress. Looking back at the 60 years history of the development of the global semiconductor industry, the reason that the semiconductor industry prosperity today depends on global market and collaborative innovation, they are also the key driving forces of semiconductor industrial development.

Closer translation:

Open cooperation is the best choice to create value and promote global progress. Looking back at the 60-some years of the development of the global semiconductor industry, the industry is prosperous today because it relies on the globalized market and globalized cooperation and innovation, which are also the core driving forces for the development of the semiconductor industry.

中国半导体行业协会于2006年加入世界半导体理事会（WSC），不仅表明了中国半导体产业融入全球化和市场化的坚定决心，也表明了中国与全球同仁协同发展全球半导体产业的决心。

CSIA translation:

CSIA joined the World Semiconductor Council (WSC) in 2006, which not only shows the determination of semiconductor industry in China to integrate into the globalization and market oriented development, but also shows China’s resolve to develop the global semiconductor industry in collaboration with its counterparts and colleagues from other parts of the world.

Closer translation:

The CSIA joined the World Semiconductor Council (WSC) in 2006, which not only demonstrates the firm determination of China’s semiconductor industry to integrate into globalization and marketization — it also shows China’s determination to develop the global semiconductor industry in coordination with global peers.

中国半导体市场始终坚持开放合作，与全球企业共同创造经济价值、共同促进科技进步，中国半导体行业协会呼吁全球半导体产业界、学术界：团结起来，捍卫半导体产业的全球化，促进合作创新，持续为产业、为人类社会创造福祉。

CSIA’s translation:

China’s semiconductor market can create great economic value and promote global scientific and technological progress. CSIA calls on the global semiconductor industry and academia to unite, defend the globalization of the semiconductor industry, promote the collaborative innovation, and continue to create benefits for industry and human society.

Closer translation:

China’s semiconductor market has always maintained open cooperation, and has created economic value and jointly promoted scientific and technological progress with global enterprises. The China Semiconductor Industry Association calls on the global semiconductor industry and academia to: unite to defend the globalization of the semiconductor industry, promote cooperative innovation, and continue to create welfare for the industry and human society.

中国半导体行业协会呼吁中国政府及相关机构：制定维护全球半导体产业生态健康发展的规则。对于捍卫全球化理念、全球半导体产业价值观的外国企业，支持其在中国市场的业务健康运营。

CSIA’s translation:

CSIA calls on the Chinese government and relevant agencies to establish rules for maintaining the healthy development of the global semiconductor industry ecology. For foreign enterprises that defend the concept of globalization and the value of the global semiconductor industry, CSIA also hopes to support their business operations in the Chinese market.

Closer translation:

CSIA calls on the Chinese government and relevant institutions: to establish rules to maintain the healthy development of the global semiconductor industry ecosystem. For foreign companies that defend the concept of globalization and the values of the global semiconductor industry, CSIA is calling to support their healthy business operations in the Chinese market.

回顾历史、总结经验，中国经济增长为我们带来发展机遇的趋势不会改变。中国半导体行业协会号召全体会员单位：精诚团结，坚决捍卫全球化产业链稳定；坚定信心，积极应变，发扬行业之气，繁荣产业生态，共创广阔未来。

CSIA’s translation:

Reviewing history and learning from past experience, CSIA believes that China’s economic growth will bring us development opportunities and the trend will not change. CSIA calls on all member companies to unite and maintain the stability of the global supply chain. In this particular juncture, we need to gather our confidence, to respond positively, and create a better future together.

Closer translation:

Looking back on history and summing from experience, the trajectory of China’s economic growth, which brought us development opportunities, will not change. CSIA calls on all member companies and organizations: with solidarity, resolutely defend the stability of the global industrial chain; strengthen confidence, actively adapt, carry forward the spirit of the industry, contribute to the prosperity in the industrial ecosystem, and create a bright future together.