The administration of US President Donald Trump (pictured) looked set to step up its campaign against Chinese telecoms companies, with chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) reportedly in line to face restrictions on access to the market.

Reuters reported SMIC was one of four companies which would be affected by a US Department of Defence plan to add companies owned or controlled by the Chinese military to a trade embargo . The other three are in the construction, oil and engineering industries.

SMIC would join China Telecom and China Mobile on the “Communist Chinese Military Companies” list, which mainly prohibits US investors from buying securities in named companies.

The chip company told Reuters it continued to “engage constructively and openly with the US government”, and its products and services were used solely for civilian and commercial use.

A representative told the news agency SMIC “has no relationship with the Chinese military and does not manufacture for any military end-users and end-uses”.

Firing line
In September, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) imposed restrictions on SMIC’s suppliers, requiring them to secure a licence to continue exporting equipment to the chip manufacturer.

The chip maker later stated the restrictions on supplies of equipment, accessories and raw materials would have an adverse effect on its operations.