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The U.S. Commerce Department has held up export approvals for American-made semiconductor manufacturing equipment SK hynix needs to expand production at its Dalian, China plant, complicating its planned $45 billion investment in new memory-chip plants in New York, Reuters reported on Nov. 3, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter. The Korean chipmaker had sought the equipment to boost China output and generate funds for the U.S. investment, but the approval delay has stalled that financing plan, according to Chosun Ilbo and Dong-A Ilbo reports on the Reuters story. SK hynix's U.S. subsidiary Solidigm is also linked to the Dalian expansion, Chosun Ilbo added. Korean media framed the move as a clash between U.S. restrictions on China and SK hynix's cross-border investment strategy, with Business Korea noting the hold-up highlights the conflict between the two.