US tightens rules on exports of US technology to China

31.01.2023

The Biden administration is tightening its rules on exports of US technology to China.

According to the Financial Times, the US Commerce Department told some American firms that they would no longer issue licenses for US technology exports to Huawei.

The paper said that Washington is moving towards a total ban on the sale of US technology to Chinese telecom equipment giants.

A US Commerce Department spokeswoman told the BBC that they worked closely with their interagency export controls partners at the Departments of Energy, Defense and State, as well as with our policy and regulations and communicate regularly with external stakeholders.

As political tensions between Washington and Beijing increased over Taiwan, where most of the world's computer chips are made, the Biden Administration tightened restrictions on Huawei.

In October, US Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Alan Estevez said that the threat environment is always changing. He said that we are doing everything in our power to protect our national security and to prevent sensitive technologies with military applications from being acquired by the People's Republic of China's military, intelligence, and security services.

It means that US companies need to get a license from the government to export or transfer some technologies, especially because of concerns that they will be used by the Chinese military.

In that time, licences have been granted to some US companies, including Intel and Qualcomm, to supply Huawei with technology that was not related to 5 G.