A Small County in China Strikes Back at U.S. Chip Dominance with Synthetic Diamonds

In recent years, U.S.-China technology competition has intensified, with the semiconductor sector at its core. On November 8, China’s Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs announced export controls on synthetic diamond powders with an average particle size ≤50 microns. Over 70% of U.S. chip-grade diamonds are imported from China, making this move a direct challenge to the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.

Diamonds are prized for extreme hardness, exceptional thermal conductivity (up to 2,000 W/(m·K)), high breakdown voltage, and optical transparency—critical properties for semiconductor fabrication and EUV lithography lenses. China’s synthetic diamond industry began in the 1950s, and after six decades of development, Zhengzhou and Zhecheng County in Henan have built a complete industrial chain from raw materials to micro-powder, single crystals, and synthetic diamonds, supplying over 80% of national output and mastering semiconductor-grade diamond manufacturing.

The export control strategically targets high-tech and military applications while maintaining civilian compliance channels, forcing the U.S. to reconsider its dependence on Chinese supply. Synthetic diamonds demonstrate China’s strategic advantage in critical materials.