The Biden administration has recently revised regulations with the aim of restricting China's access to U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) chips and chipmaking tools. This initiative is part of a strategy to hinder Beijing's chipmaking industry due to national security concerns.
Initially released in October, these rules target the shipments of more advanced AI chips, including those designed by Nvidia and others, to China. This tightening of regulations reflects Washington's efforts to curb Beijing's technological advancements that could potentially enhance China's military capabilities.
The newly revised rules, spanning 166 pages, came into effect on Thursday. They provide clarity on various aspects, such as extending restrictions on chip shipments to include laptops containing these chips. The Commerce Department, responsible for export controls, has expressed intentions to continually update and refine these restrictions on technology exports to China in order to strengthen and optimize the measures.
In response, China has criticized the tightened U.S. regulations on semiconductor exports, stating that they have increased trade barriers and added uncertainty to the chip industry landscape. A spokesperson from the Commerce Ministry highlighted that the expanded scope of national security, changes in rules, and stricter control measures have not only raised obstacles and compliance burdens for Chinese and American companies engaged in normal economic and trade activities but have also introduced significant uncertainties to the global semiconductor industry. The spokesperson also emphasized that the U.S. actions severely impact mutually beneficial cooperation between Chinese and foreign enterprises, infringing upon their legitimate rights and interests. China vehemently opposes these developments.
The U.S. implemented regulations last October, limiting exports and affecting companies like Nvidia and AMD. China has expressed readiness to collaborate with all parties to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation and uphold the security and stability of the global semiconductor industry and supply chain.
