A staff member inspects raw material used in chip manufacturing at a testing center of an electronics firm in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on March 21.

China will keep up with the next developments in United States' probe into the semiconductor supply chain and national defense industrial base in the name of reducing national security risks posed by China, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

The highly globalized nature of the semiconductor industry has prompted concerns over any actions that defy market principles and disrupt the global semiconductor market, said He Yadong, a spokesman for the ministry, at a media conference.

Not only do these actions harm the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, but they also have the potential to impact semiconductor companies worldwide, including those in the US, He added.

Such disruptions can lead to the destabilization of global industrial and supply chains, He said, stressing that China will take appropriate action to protect its interests.

The investigation, which was launched by the US Department of Commerce a week ago, focuses on the use and sourcing of China-manufactured legacy chips in the supply chains of critical US industries.