US Moves to Block Advanced Chip Technology From Going to China
The US is stepping up efforts to block the Chinese government from obtaining cutting-edge computer chips for military and surveillance purposes.
On Friday, the Commerce Department introduced(Opens in a new window) new export controls to prevent companies from shipping advanced processors and chipmaking equipment to China.
The White House is worried the technology could aid the Chinese government in developing supercomputers capable of creating nuclear weapons, upgrading the country’s military decision-making, and committing human rights abuses through surveillance.
“The PRC (People’s Republic of China) has poured resources into developing supercomputing capabilities and seeks to become a world leader in artificial intelligence by 2030,” US Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration Thea Rozman Kendler said in the announcement. “It is using these capabilities to monitor, track, and surveil their own citizens, and fuel its military modernization."
The new export controls, laid out in a 139-page document(Opens in a new window), are intended to require both US and foreign companies to first apply for a license before exporting cutting-edge chip technology to China. However, most license applications “will be reviewed under a presumption of denial” over concerns the tech could bolster the Chinese military while undermining US national security.
The export controls are designed to stop the most advanced chips from being used in Chinese supercomputers. They also aim to block US companies from shipping semiconductor-manufacturing tech to Chinese factories that build logic chips at the 16/14-nanometer node or lower, unless they receive a license.
In addition, the rules restrict US persons from aiding Chinese
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