The reversal marks a dramatic shift from the aggressive stance the Trump administration took in May, when it imposed sweeping restrictions on electronic design automation (EDA) software — the critical tools needed to design advanced semiconductors.
A short-lived stoppage
The restrictions had targeted what analysts called the “upstream” of chip production — the fundamental design phase rather than manufacturing.
The May restrictions represented a strategic escalation in the US-China tech war, moving beyond controls on actual semiconductors to target the software tools essential for designing them. As experts noted at the time, this approach was potentially more damaging because EDA software cannot be easily substituted and forms the foundation of all chip design and manufacturing.
“EDA tools cannot be substituted and are the foundation to chip design and manufacturing,” said Neil Shah, VP for research and partner at Counterpoint Research, commenting on the original restrictions. “The software lifecycle of these tools is super important with updates, patches and support to be at the forefront of leading edge, which will stop with the restrictions on licensing.”
The financial implications were substantial, with Synopsys and Cadence earning annual revenue of about 16% and 12% from their China business respectively. The restrictions forced these companies to halt support and updates to Chinese customers, creating immediate disruptions in China’s semiconductor design ecosystem.
Tensions remain
For the semiconductor design industry, the news brings immediate relief from what had threatened to become a major business disruption. “For more than 175 years Siemens has supported customers globally including China and the United States. We appreciate the patience of our customers as we have navigated the rapidly changing global trade landscape and understand the inconvenience this may have caused,” Siemens noted in its statement.
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