The Chinese government has criticized the new export restrictions imposed by the US on American-made semiconductors, which, Washington fears, Beijing could use to develop advanced military technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
These measures, announced by the Biden administration amid political changes in the US, have heightened tensions between the two largest economies in the world, just before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has made self-sufficiency the cornerstone of his economic strategy aimed at transforming China into a technological superpower.
On Monday, the US Department of Commerce announced restrictions on the export of twenty types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and limited access for several Chinese companies to American technologies.
According to official statements from the US Department of Commerce, the main goal of these measures is to slow China’s development of advanced AI tools that could be used for military purposes and to weaken China's domestic semiconductor industry, which, Washington believes, threatens the national security of the US and its allies.
China’s Ministry of Commerce strongly condemned these actions, accusing the US of “abusing” export controls and creating “significant threats” to the stability of global supply chains and industrial networks.
“The US preaches one thing but practices another, excessively broadening the concept of national security, abusing export controls, and resorting to unilateral coercion. China is firmly against such actions,” the ministry's statement read.
The following day, China announced a complete ban on the sale of several materials essential for semiconductor production and electric vehicle battery manufacturing. According to the ministry’s statement, the export of gallium, germanium, antimony, and other “superhard” materials that could be used for military purposes will be prohibited.
Last year, China already limited the sale of some of these materials as technological rivalry between the two countries intensified. However, companies were previously able to apply for special licenses for export to the US, but now that option seems to be closed.
The race for military technology has become a cornerstone of US-China relations, particularly amid growing US concerns over a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in the coming years. The ruling Communist Party of China claims sovereignty over the self-governing island, despite never having controlled it, and has recently taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan.