For wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM) with semiconductor characteristics, including superhigh-thickness cutting, ultra-fine wire cutting, metal matrix ceramic composite cutting, etc., a theoretical system of EDM with semiconductor characteristics is proposed. The performance of semiconductor characteristics is that the workpiece, wire or both have non negligible resistance, which cannot be treated as equipotential in traditional WEDM. The machining characteristics of high-speed WEDM with semiconductor characteristics are analyzed, and the reasons for the failure of traditional WEDM servo control methods are explained. A method based on current pulse probability detection with higher identification is proposed to judge the machining status between electrodes. To achieve stable cutting for a long time, different servo control strategies should be employed for the positive and negative traveling direction to adapt to the processing conditions with obvious differences in reciprocating traveling-wire mode.