U.S. eases China export curbs on chip software, ethane

The United States has lifted restrictions on exports to China for chip design software developers and ethane producers, a further sign of de-escalating U.S.-Sino trade tensions.

Synopsys, Cadence Design Systems and Siemens, three of the world's largest electronic design automation (EDA) software developers, said on Wednesday that they are restoring access to their software and technology for customers in China.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. had also sent letters to ethane producers rescinding a restrictive licensing requirement on exports to China imposed in late May and June.

The restrictions on EDA software developers and ethane producers were just a few of the many countermeasures imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.

On Friday, China's commerce ministry said that following talks with the U.S., the two sides have confirmed a framework under which China will review export applications for controlled items and the U.S. will cancel corresponding restrictive measures.

"The U.S. have escalated to de-escalate. They put restrictions on many more items in order to get the Chinese to back off on rare earths," said a source familiar with discussions inside the U.S. government.

China imposed export controls on seven types of rare earth elements back in April but has approved a number of compliant applications.

"As the U.S. and China continue to hold to this framework agreement, we're gonna see a lot of these restrictions go away. Going back to a status quo, where we were at in Feb/March," said the source, who was not authorized to speak to the media and declined to be identified.

(With input from Reuters)