Hong Kong: China has strongly criticized the United States for implementing new export controls aimed at limiting Beijing’s access to advanced semiconductor technology, fearing it could be used in weapons and AI development.
The Biden administration’s latest measures, introduced just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, are further straining US-China relations. Chinese President Xi Jinping has made technological self-sufficiency a key goal, seeking to transform China into a global tech leader.
On Monday, the US Department of Commerce imposed restrictions on the export of 24 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and several Chinese companies, limiting their access to American technology. According to US officials, these controls are designed to slow China’s progress in developing sophisticated AI systems that could have military applications, as well as to weaken China’s growing semiconductor industry, which is seen as a national security risk to the US and its allies.
In response, China’s Ministry of Commerce condemned the move, accusing the US of misusing export controls and endangering global supply chains.
The next day, China retaliated by imposing an outright ban on exports of key materials like gallium, germanium, and antimony, which are vital for semiconductor and electric vehicle battery production. These materials could also have military applications, according to Chinese authorities.
This move marks a continuation of escalating tensions between the two nations, as they compete for dominance in technology and global markets.
