China Launches Probe into U.S. Chip Subsidies Over Impact on Domestic Industry

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China’s commerce ministry announced an investigation into U.S. government subsidies to the semiconductor sector, claiming these subsidies have harmed Chinese manufacturers of mature node chips. Unlike advanced chips used in AI, mature node chips are simpler and cheaper to produce, often utilized in household appliances and communication devices. Beijing asserts that U.S. subsidies, particularly under the CHIPS and Science Act, have given U.S. companies an unfair advantage, allowing them to export mature node chips to China at low prices and undermining China’s domestic chip industry.

The probe is part of China’s broader strategy of responding to Washington’s increasingly stringent restrictions on Chinese semiconductor firms, which the Biden administration has accused of potentially strengthening China’s technological capabilities, including its military. The investigation is expected to target U.S. companies, including Intel, which sell mature node chips to China.

This move follows a similar complaint from the U.S. about China’s practices in the chip industry, such as alleged state-backed artificial price suppression and overcapacity. The outcome of the probe could lead to retaliatory actions affecting U.S. chipmakers in the Chinese market. It remains to be seen what specific measures Beijing will take.

 

Amazon Opens Walk-In Centre in Cape Town to Expand Market Share in South Africa

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Amazon has launched a walk-in centre in Cape Town, South Africa, aimed at supporting independent sellers and helping them grow their businesses. This move is part of Amazon’s strategy to capture more market share in Sub-Saharan Africa, where it competes with local e-commerce leader Takealot, owned by Naspers.

Robert Koen, Managing Director of Amazon Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighted the importance of expanding Amazon’s product range to attract more customers. The company’s global marketplace relies heavily on independent sellers, with over 60% of Amazon’s sales worldwide coming from small- and medium-sized businesses. The new centre in Cape Town is designed to help these sellers reach a wider customer base by offering various services, including on-the-spot registration for selling on Amazon.co.za, training, product imaging, cataloguing assistance, and shipping and logistics support.

Since Amazon launched in South Africa in May of the previous year, the Cape Town centre represents the company’s first significant infrastructure in the region. Koen reported positive results from the recent holiday season, with the company exceeding its goals and seeing strong feedback from first-time shoppers, particularly appreciating the speed of delivery.

 

FBI Warns of Call Log Breach Following Hack of AT&T’s System

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The FBI has warned its agents that a significant data breach of AT&T’s system last year likely resulted in hackers stealing months’ worth of call and text logs, potentially compromising the identities of confidential informants. This breach, which impacted all FBI devices using AT&T’s public safety network, included sensitive information such as mobile phone numbers and the numbers agents communicated with, according to reports from Bloomberg News.

The breach occurred in April 2022, when hackers downloaded data from around 109 million customer accounts, which included records of calls and texts. The stolen records, while not containing the content of the communications, could still expose sensitive connections between FBI agents and their informants. This raises serious concerns about the security of confidential sources, especially since the breach could link agents to their secret sources.

In a communication to FBI agents across the country, the agency warned that their activities on the AT&T network were likely among the stolen data, putting both agents and their sources at risk. An FBI spokesperson emphasized the agency’s duty to safeguard the identities and safety of its confidential informants, who often provide critical information at great personal risk.

AT&T spokesperson Alex Byers responded to the breach, stating that the company had worked closely with law enforcement to mitigate the impact on government operations following the incident. This breach is part of a broader concern about cyber-espionage targeting U.S. telecom networks. The U.S. government has responded to these threats, including recent steps to counter Chinese-linked cyber-espionage efforts against U.S. telecom companies.

While AT&T and other major telecom firms such as Verizon have confirmed their networks were targeted by cyber hackers, they also assured that their systems are now secure after cooperating with U.S. law enforcement and government agencies.