China’s antitrust regulator on Monday approved American chip design software giant Synopsys’ US$35 billion acquisition of Ansys, weeks after the administration of US President Donald Trump lifted export controls on electronic design automation (EDA) products to the mainland.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said in a statement that it gave the green light to Synopsys’ deal for Ansys, a computer-aided engineering software vendor, under the condition that the two firms honour their contractual obligations to Chinese clients.
Synopsys and Ansys were also required not to terminate existing agreements or reject any Chinese customer’s request to renew their contracts.
The conditions set by SAMR reflect the importance of EDA technology to China’s semiconductor industry, while sending a sign of easing bilateral tensions after Washington lifted export curbs on the software.
