The United States announced new export restrictions on Monday targeting China’s ability to make advanced semiconductors, drawing sharp condemnation from Beijing as competition between the world’s two largest economies deepens.
The move follows US efforts to curb exports of cutting-edge chips to China, aimed at hindering the country’s ability to make chips that can be used in advanced weapons systems and artificial intelligence.
The announcement comes weeks before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, where he is expected to pursue Washington’s tough stance on China.
“The United States has taken important steps to protect our technology from being used by our adversaries in ways that threaten our national security,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
He said Washington “will continue to work with allies and partners to proactively and aggressively secure our world-leading technologies and information so that they are not used to undermine our national security.”
Beijing vowed to defend its interests on Monday, with a Chinese commerce ministry spokesman saying the United States “abuses export control measures” and “has hindered normal economic and trade exchanges.”
The latest US rules include bans on exports to 140 companies, including Chinese chip firms Piotech and Sicarrier Technology.
According to the Commerce Department, they also affect Naura Technology Group, which makes chip production equipment.
Others include institutions in Japan, South Korea and Singapore.
Being added to the “Entity List” prohibits US suppliers from exporting them without additional permission.
The new US rules also include controls on two dozen types of chip manufacturing equipment and three types of software tools for semiconductor development or production.
“We are continuing to talk to our allies and partners as well as reevaluate and update our controls,” said Alan Estevez, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security.
military focus
The efforts were to carry forward a policy begun under Trump’s first administration to prevent Beijing from gaining ground and its ability to become a leading technology economy.
On Monday, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stressed that President Joe Biden’s government has been particularly tough in “strategically addressing China’s military modernization through export controls.”
“The semiconductor manufacturing equipment regulated by today’s rules is needed to produce the high-node integrated circuits that are needed for advanced weapons systems and advanced AI used in military applications,” the Commerce Department said.
Overall, it said, the actions are meant to slow China’s development of advanced AI that could “change the future of warfare” and impair the development of China’s own semiconductor ecosystem.
But the department says it is consistent with Washington’s “small yard, high fence” strategy — an approach that Chinese President Xi Jinping urged against last month.
The demand for further closure of the semiconductor supply chain has increased as the world becomes increasingly aware of the powers of AI with the launch of ChatGPT.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
