By Kate Yuan

China imported 5,350 semiconductor manufacturing equipment with a value of RMB13.23 billion ($1.89 billion) in November, down by 40.3% and 36.8% respectively, according to the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) on December 21.

Among them, "equipment and devices for manufacturing semiconductor devices or integrated circuits" numbered 1,191, down 18.3% year on year, valued at RMB9.22 billion ($1.32 billion), decreasing by 30.2% over the previous year.

In January-November this year, China imported 70,426 semiconductor manufacturing equipment, totaling RMB179.37 billion ($25.67 billion), dropping by 13.5% and 10.8% respectively year on year. The amount of “equipment and devices for manufacturing semiconductor devices or integrated circuits” was 15,765 sets, up 7.9%, costing RMB116.04 billion ($16.6 billion), a decrease of 6.8% over the last year.

According to a report by Bloomberg, China’s purchases of machines to make computer chips contracted in November to their lowest in more than two years, hammered by cratering electronics demand and new US export restrictions that are limiting the ability of Chinese firms to buy the most advanced equipment.