Samsung Electronics and SK hynix earned one-year waivers from the United States for their chip-making factories in China to import semiconductor equipment without applying for permission from Washington, according to the companies and industry sources, Wednesday. As part of its countermeasures to prevent China from obtaining advanced chip technologies, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a new export control measure that prohibits U.S.-based companies from exporting their semiconductor equipment to chip production companies in China.