China's curbs on tungsten used in drill bits squeeze AI supply chain

Nikkei Asia · CHENG TING-FANG · 2026-11-05 02:28 UTC

Export controls on critical metal have sent price of key tool surging

Export controls on critical metal have sent price of key tool surging

Tungsten carbide bits, like these made by Taiwan's Topoint, drill micro-holes in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and chip substrates. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Cheng Ting-Fang)

CHENG TING-FANG

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