William_potter | Istock | Getty Images
The U.S. on Tuesday added dozens of Chinese tech companies to its export blacklist in its first such effort beneath the Donald Trump administration, because it doubles down on curbing Beijing’s synthetic intelligence and superior computing capabilities.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security added 80 organizations to an “entity list,” with greater than 50 from China, barring American firms from supplying to these on the listing with out authorities permits.
The firms have been blacklisted for allegedly performing opposite to U.S. nationwide safety and international coverage pursuits, the company mentioned, as a part of its efforts to additional limit Beijing’s entry to exascale computing tech, which might process vast amounts of data at very high speeds, in addition to quantum applied sciences.
Dozens of Chinese entities have been focused for his or her alleged involvement in growing superior AI, supercomputers and high-performance AI chips for navy functions, the Commerce Department mentioned, including that two companies have been supplying to sanctioned entities similar to Huawei and its affiliated chipmaker HiSilicon.
It blacklisted 27 Chinese entities for buying U.S.-origin gadgets to assist China’s navy modernization and 7 companies for serving to advance China’s quantum expertise capabilities.
Among the organizations within the “entity list” have been additionally six subsidiaries of Chinese cloud-computing agency Inspur Group, which had been blacklisted by the Joe Biden administration in 2023.
China’s international ministry mentioned late Wednesday it “strongly condemns” the export restrictions whereas urging the U.S. to “stop generalizing national security,” Reuters reported.
The newest additions “cast an ever-widening net aimed at third countries, transit points and intermediaries,” mentioned Alex Capri, a senior lecturer at National University of Singapore and writer of “Techno-Nationalism: How It’s Reshaping Trade, Geopolitics and Society.”
Chinese companies have managed to realize entry to U.S. strategic dual-use applied sciences through sure third events, he mentioned, referring to loopholes which have allowed Chinese firms entry to U.S. applied sciences regardless of restrictions.
“U.S. officials will continue to step up tracking and tracing operations aimed at the smuggling of advanced semiconductors made by Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices,” he mentioned.
The expanded export restrictions come at a time when tensions between Washington and Beijing have been rising with the Trump administration ratcheting up tariffs in opposition to China.
The speedy rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has boosted the adoption of open-source low-cost AI fashions in China, placing stress on main U.S. rivals with higher-cost, proprietary fashions.
The Biden administration imposed sweeping export controls in opposition to China, encompassing all the pieces from semiconductors to supercomputers beneath the so-called “small yard, high fence” policy. The method goals to put restrictions on a small variety of applied sciences with significant military potential whereas sustaining regular financial trade in different areas.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey I. Kessler mentioned the company was “sending a clear, resounding message” that the Trump administration will forestall U.S. applied sciences from “being misused for high performance computing, hypersonic missiles, military aircraft training, and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle) that threaten our national security.”
“The entity list is one of many powerful tools at our disposal to identify and cut off foreign adversaries seeking to exploit American technology for malign purposes,” he added.
Inspur Group and Huawei didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s requests for remark.
