日盈观点|对美国通过的2022芯片法案的议会概要部分内容翻译及动机分析

  本文撰稿人:邵逸俊

  2022年7月28日,美国国会两院通过了2022年芯片法案,并于8月初由美国总统拜登签署同意。该法案旨在刺激美国半导体行业发展,吸引高尖技术引进,并且确保美国在科技方面的领先地位。
 
  该法案很明显的针对对象就是中国,并且在其国会的咨询摘要中明显显露,这个概要分为两个部分,全称为“CHIPS and Science Act of 2022”,但是其项下有两部分,第一部分是关于芯片的,也就是“CHIPS”,称之为“Division A Summary-CHIPS and ORAN Investment”第二部分是关于科技的,也就是标题中的“Science”,具体则称为“Division B Summary–Research and Innovation”,实则是两个不同的法律,这个在之前笔者翻译芯片法案所附的全文中也可以看出端倪。今天就以国会咨询概要中的部分内容进行翻译,并穿插部分个人的分析,以此来分析美国国会的主要目的。对于文中的关于资金分配概要请参照笔者过去的翻译芯片法案原文,因为那个更加详细,故笔者不进一步进行翻译。本文仅仅让读者从美国国会立法者角度去了解美国国内政治团体对中国技术进步的提防和遏制心态。
 
  注:由于该概要生成早于立法通过,所以可能法案名称会不同于之后的出台法律全名,所以请读者注意,这个是关于美国国会中公开立法目的时所用的概要文,可以看见目的性、指向性,但是具体细则请参考之前笔者的法案翻译文。
 
  Division A Summary - CHIPS and ORAN Investment
 
  第一部分概要:芯片和ORAN投资计划
 
  Background: In January 2021, as part of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Congress passed into law funding programs from the bipartisan CHIPS for America Act, authorizing Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of State (DOS) activities to develop onshore domestic manufacturing of semiconductors critical to U.S. competitiveness and national security. Only 12% of chips are currently manufactured domestically, compared to 37% in the 1990s, and many foreign competitors, including China, are investing heavily to dominate the industry. The United States also lacks capabilities to produce the most advanced chips at volume. The CHIPS Act of 2022 would provide appropriations needed to implement the currently authorized programs from the bipartisan CHIPS for America Act. To ensure the Congressional goal of promoting domestic competitiveness, the Act would also install safeguards to ensure that recipients of Federal funds from these programs cannot build advanced semiconductor production facilities in countries that present a national security concern.
 
  背景:在2021年1月,作为《威廉·麦克莱伦·“麦克”·索恩贝里2021财年国防授权法案》的一部分,国会以立法形式资助基于美国芯片法案(注:这是2020年的芯片法案,并非现今的2022年芯片法案,在美国的全称为“CHIPS for America Act”,这部法律主要是架构审核委员会机制,不过针对的也是中国,该文件众议院的档案号为H. R. 7178,有兴趣可以去参考下。)的项目,用以授权商务部、国防部、国务院发展对美国关键的半导体在岸、国内生产活动。对比37%半导体在美国本土制造,现在只有12%的芯片在美国国内制造,而许多外国竞争者,包括中国,正在强势地控制这个产业。美国缺乏大量生产尖端芯片地能力。2022年芯片法案就是为了支持美国芯片法案中所架构的活动所需求的必要帮助。为了确保国会实现促进国内竞争力的目标,该法案还将设置保障措施,以确保从这些项目获得联邦资金的实体不能在会引起美国国家安全关注的国家建设先进的半导体生产设施。
 
  分析:这个目的性充满满满冷战的气息,并且在所有的半导体外国竞争者中点名国家就是中国,所以这个法律从一开始目的的中心就是遏制中国的芯片发展。
 
  The CHIPS & Innovation Act of 2022 would also provide appropriations needed to implement the USA Telecom Act that was enacted in the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. This program would help shore up the global telecommunications supply chain and limit the scope of involvement globally of telecommunication companies with close ties to the Communist Party of China, like Huawei. Funds would be used to capitalize on U.S. software advantages, accelerating development of an open-architecture model (known as OpenRAN) that would allow for alternative vendors to enter the market for specific network components, rather than having to compete with Huawei end-to-end.
 
  2022年芯片法案和科技改革法案同时会提供《威廉·麦克莱伦·“麦克”·索恩贝里2021财年国防授权法案》中所颁布的《美国电信法案》所需要的必要帮助。该项目将有助于支撑全球电信供应链,并限制华为等与中国共产党关系密切的电信公司在全球范围内的参与范围。资金将用于利用美国的软件优势,加快开放架构模型(称为OpenRAN)的开发,该模型将允许其他供应商进入特定网络组件市场,而不必与华为端到端竞争。(开放架构,依照非专业的笔者理解,就是可以对软件某些部分进行客户定制化或者由客户进行自行修改,从而达到匹配的目的,但是又不同于完全开源,对于核心内容依旧控制在开发者手中。)
 
  分析:美国国会的2022法案已经赤裸裸地明说针对一切与中国共产党关系密切的电信公司了,并且类似于国家补贴软件的情况下,引入更多方与中国的电信公司竞争,造成激烈竞争的局面。但是在另一面,控制着核心技术,只允许盟友进行皮毛的修改,同时占据自身国家的领导地位。
 
  $54.2 Billion in Total Appropriations for CHIPS and Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation (also known as ORAN):
 
  542亿美元对于CHIPS和公共无线供应链创新的总拨款(也被认为是ORAN)
 
  注:原文下为各个部门的分配,但是这个概要只是草创阶段,与之后的正式法案还是有距离的,有兴趣的可以去看看附属的原文了解下即可。
 
  Preventing CHIPS Funding Recipients from Expanding Certain Chip Manufacturing in China and Other Countries of Concern:
 
  阻止CHIPS资金接受方在中国或者其他关注国家内扩大特定芯片生产。
 
  · Technology leadership and supply chain security. To ensure that the manufacturing incentives advance U.S. technology leadership and supply chain security, the Act would require recipients of Federal financial assistance to join an agreement prohibiting certain material expansions of semiconductor manufacturing in the People’s Republic of China or in other countries of concern. These restrictions would apply to any new facility, unless the facility produces “legacy semiconductors” predominantly for that country’s market, but not to existing facilities for manufacturing legacy semiconductors. The restrictions would apply for ten years after the receipt of financial assistance, ensuring that semiconductor manufacturers focus their next cycle of investment in the United States and in partner nations. The Secretary of Commerce would be required, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and Director of National Intelligence, to consider updates to the technology threshold for prohibitions on manufacturing in countries of concern, considering consistency with export controls as well as technology advancements. The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence, would define restricted process capability thresholds for memory and packaging, as well as which semiconductors are critical to national security.
 
  技术领先地位及供应链安全:为确保制造业激励措施促进美国的技术领先地位和供应链安全,该法案将要求联邦财政援助的接受者加入一项协议,禁止在中华人民共和国或其他相关国家对半导体制造业进行某些重大扩张。这些限制将适用于任何新设施,除非该设施主要为该国市场生产“传统半导体”,但不适用于制造传统半导体的现有设施。这些限制将在获得财政援助后的10年内有效,以确保半导体制造商在下一轮投资时将重点放在美国及其合作伙伴国家。商务部长将被要求与国防部长和国家情报总监协商,考虑更新有关国家禁止制造的技术门槛,同时考虑与出口管制的一致性以及技术进步。商务部长与国防部长和国家情报总监协商,将定义内存和封装的受限工艺技术门槛,以及哪些半导体对国家安全至关重要。
 
  
 
  分析:这个目的就是美国国会试图用补贴和限制技术转让,控制半导体产业的国际流转,并且以政治形态影响国际贸易,不仅仅会影响中国,并且对其盟国也会产生技术壁垒,只要美国发现该国的技术会影响美国的利益。
 
  · Notification requirements. Companies that receive federal financial assistance through the CHIPS program would also be required to notify the DOC of planned transactions in countries of concern subject to their agreement with the Secretary. If DOC determines that the planned transaction would violate the agreement, the company would have an opportunity to remedy the potential violation; otherwise, DOC could recover the full amount of Federal financial assistance provided. The provision gives the DOC the authority to request any records necessary to review compliance with the agreement, while ensuring such records remain confidential.
 
  
 
  通知要求:通过芯片项目获得联邦财政援助的公司,根据之前与商务部部长所达成的协议,也将被要求将在关注国家的计划交易通知商务部。如果商务部认定这个计划交易会违反与商务部的协议,那么该公司会有一个机会去修补这个潜在违规;否则,商务部会收回所有的联邦补助。协议的条款会允许商务部有权要求任何必要的记录,以审查协议的遵守情况,同时确保该记录机密性。
 
  分析:目前仅仅以撤回联邦补贴作为对于不服从公司的处罚,但是并不确定今后会不会出台更加严格的法律规定。公司交易的保密性已经被美国自身给践踏,商务部几乎可以审核任何交易的记录。
 
  Background on the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit:
 
  先进投资业的税收抵免之背景:
 
  The United States, which developed and pioneered semiconductor (“chips”) technology, finds itself too reliant on foreign producers of semiconductors. While American companies still dominate the global semiconductor industry, accounting for nearly half of all revenues, the share of global production in the U.S. has dropped from 37 percent in 1990 to just 12 percent today. This is a national and economic security threat.
 
  开发和引领半导体(“芯片”)技术的美国发现自己过于依赖外国半导体生产商。虽然美国公司仍然主导着全球半导体行业,占总收入的近一半,但美国在全球生产中的份额已从 1990 年的 37% 下降到今天的 12%。这是对国家和经济安全的威胁。
 
  分析:美国意识到了自己过于注重第三产业,而忽略了第一第二产业的发展,现在正在试图通过立法进行扭转。
 
  Semiconductor production is increasingly concentrated overseas, with 75 percent of global production now occurring in East Asia. Foreign government subsidies drive as much as 70 percent of the cost difference for producing semiconductors overseas. Combined with other factors, the result is a 25 to 40 percent cost advantage for overseas semiconductor production, as compared to the United States.
 
  半导体生产越来越集中在海外,目前全球 75% 的生产发生在东亚。在海外生产半导体的成本差异中,外国政府补贴高达 70%。结合其他因素,与美国相比,海外半导体生产的成本优势为 25% 至 40%。
 
  分析:前段是说本国生产12%,但是公司收入为全球一半,即便外国有补贴加75%集中在东亚生产的情况下。利用技术壁垒其实美国目前也是挣得盆满钵满,但是其还认为不够。
 
  These dynamics must change if the United States is to remain at the forefront of technological development in this vital industry and retain these high-skill, high-wage jobs. The CHIPS grants, while substantial, will generally not fully make up for the foreign cost differential without additional support, either through a tax credit, or state or local support.
 
  如果美国要保持在技术的前沿发展这个至关重要的行业,并保留这些高技能、高工资的工作,这些动态就必须改变。虽然芯片项目的拨款数额巨大,但如果没有额外的支持(无论是通过税收抵免,还是通过州或地方支持),通常无法完全弥补海外成本的差异。
 
  分析:国会试图通过联邦立法进行补贴,但是还觉得不够,并且主张用税收进行抵免进一步优惠,也就是传统的补贴加减税政策刺激芯片发展。至于州与地方的支持,这只是倡导,因为联邦没有权干涉州或地方的立法,除非联邦对于某些项目上有所优惠会影响州议员,当然也不能排除州议员为了选票而进行倡议,毕竟芯片制造业是有大量就业岗位的,自然能够获得更多选票。
 
  The advanced manufacturing investment tax credit (ITC), is based on a bipartisan bill (H.R. 7104/S. 2107, the Facilitating American Built Semiconductors Act; also known as the FABS Act) that would counteract these trends by providing reasonable, targeted incentives for American semiconductor manufacturing here at home.
 
  先进投资业的税收抵免是基于促进美国制造半导体法案产生,目的是为了通过为美国本土的半导体制造提供合理的、有针对性的激励来抵消这些趋势(注:指的是海外生产芯片)。
 
  分析:减少特定产业税收,用纳税人的钱去刺激某个方面产业,本身也是基于国家战略无可厚非,但是美国本土生产本身成本就很高,即便有了这些优惠政策,其真正国际竞争力还是相当存疑的。但是另一方面会为美国联邦财政那本已不堪的状况雪上加霜。
 
  The ITC provides a 25 percent investment tax credit for investments in semiconductor manufacturing.
 
  税收抵免会提供25%的抵免,针对在半导体方面的投资。
 
  The credit covers both manufacturing equipment as well as the construction of semiconductor
 
  manufacturing facilities. It also includes incentives for the manufacturing of the specialized tooling equipment required in the semiconductor manufacturing process.
 
  退税抵免涵盖制造设备以及半导体的建设制造设施。它还包括对制造半导体制造过程所需的专用工具设备的激励措施。
 
  The ITC erases the difference with foreign subsidy regimes, and, when paired with the CHIPS grant funding, would completely erase the 40 percent cost difference for leading-edge semiconductor production. The ITC provides a baseline incentive for reshoring chip making, allowing the grant funding to be focused on those leading edge semiconductor technologies that are particularly critical to our economic and national security.
 
  税收抵免会消除了与外国补贴制度的差异,并且当与芯片拨款资金相结合时,将完全消除尖端半导体生产中40%的成本差异。税收抵免为芯片制造回流提供了基准激励,允许拨款资金集中在那些对我们的经济和国家安全特别重要的尖端半导体技术上。
 
  分析:笔者认为这个分析过于乐观,因为这个分析没有考虑运输成本以及各国政府的反制措施,只能说是完全基于美国人一厢情愿下所认定的预测。即便暂时能够获利或者维持住美国生产,那么一边抽了纳税人的血汗去充值某些特定企业并不是永久方法,一旦失去补贴必然还是会价格上升。
 
  The ITC also includes safeguards similar to CHIPS funding to ensure that recipients of the ITC cannot build advanced semiconductor production facilities in countries that present a national security concern, including the People’s Republic of China.
 
  税收抵免还包括类似于芯片资金的保障措施,以确保政策红利的接受者不能在包括中华人民共和国在内的存在美国国家安全关注的国家建立先进的半导体生产设施。
 
  分析:美国国会的阳谋也是让笔者叹为观止,但是混杂了意识形态的恶意和老旧冷战思维的政治人物还充斥着美国国会也是出乎笔者个人的意料,技术是相互交流的,而非遏制就可以维持住一个垄断地位,中国的航空事业和航天事业都是最好的例子。希望美国的国家傲慢能有一天真正得到遏制,或是清醒过来。

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