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U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross holds a news conference at the Department of Commerce in Washington
Thomson Reuters




(Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross sees the U.S. semiconductor industry as still dominant globally but said he is worried that it will be threatened by China�s planned investment binge to build up its own chipmaking industry.

Ross told Reuters in an interview this week that his agency is considering a national security review of semiconductors under a com.gameking2017.kingrabbitsubwayrunner 1962 trade law because of their �huge defense implications� including their use in military hardware and proliferation in devices throughout the economy.

He has launched similar "Section 232" reviews of the U.S. steel and aluminum sectors, where a flood of imports especially from China has depressed prices, threatening the industries� long-term health.

The probes could lead to broad import restrictions on the metals, and the Trump administration could potentially take similar actions based on the findings of a semiconductor investigation.

"Semiconductors are one of our shining industries, but they have gone from substantial surplus to the beginnings of a deficit," Ross told Reuters. "China has a $150 billion program to take that much further between now and 2025. That is scary."