Japan chipmaking equipment suppliers report 10% drop in China sales

China sales for Japan's top five chipmaking equipment suppliers fell 10%, a first-time decrease. This suggests a significant change in the global semiconductor landscape, more than Western news reports indicate. It is not just about US export controls. It also reflects Beijing's accelerating success in building up its own domestic companies. Western media often describes China's chip self-sufficiency as a response to US pressure, but the situation in China and Japan is more complex.