US Expands Export Blacklist, Targeting Chinese AI and Computing Capabilities

US expands export blacklist to keep computing tech out of China

The US has added 80 organizations and companies to a trading export blacklist in an effort to prevent China from acquiring computing technology for military purposes. The new restrictions announced by the US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) are the latest attempt to block foreign access to cutting-edge American chips, despite prior objections from Nvidia and semiconductor industry groups. More than 50 of the new entities added to the list are based in China, with others located in Iran, Taiwan, Pakistan, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. BIS says the restrictions have been applied to entities that acted "contrary to US national security and foreign policy," and are intended to hinder China's ability to develop high-performance computing capabilities, quantum technologies, advanced artificial intelligence, and hypersonic weapons.

US expands China trade blacklist, closes susidiary loopholes

The U.S. government on Wednesday added 80 entities to the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security's Entity List, reports the New York Times. The expansion of the list is designed to prevent or slow down the use of American technologies in China to improve its economic and military capabilities, and closes a critical loophole that allowed subsidiaries to dodge sanctions. China's advancements in AI, exascale supercomputing, quantum computing technology, and hypersonic weapons are named the main points of concern, reports Nikkei. The U.S. Department of Commerce's BIS has added 80 new organizations from China, Taiwan, the UAE, South Africa, Iran, and other countries to the Entity List for actions it deemed harmful to U.S. national security and foreign policy. Twelve organizations (11 in China, one in Taiwan) were involved in AI and supercomputing tied to China's military. Seven Chinese entities were involved in quantum tech development for military use, and two Chinese companies supplied restricted components to blacklisted Huawei and HiSilicon, according to the BIS. Other entities assisted China's military and nuclear programs in one way or another, or supplied U.S. parts to China or Iran. Perhaps the most noteworthy additions to the Entity List are six Inspur subsidiaries, including those that were used to bypass the U.S. sanctions against the parent company that were imposed in 2023. Among the six entities added, one is Inspur Taiwan, and another is Inspur Software. BIS alleges that Inspur -- which is the largest server maker in China -- illegally obtained restricted hardware developed by U.S. companies to build servers for its customers in China, including clients tied to the People's Liberation Army. The alleged operations were significant enough for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, one of the largest makers of servers, to start a legal battle against Inspur Group, alleging server patent infringements and violating U.S. sanctions. In addition, Henan Dingxin Information Industry, Nettrix Information Industry, Suma Technology, and Suma-USI Electronics were added to the U.S. Entity List for supporting the development of exascale supercomputers. Specifically, these companies supplied hardware from Intel and Nvidia, software from Microsoft, and manufacturing capabilities to Sugon (Dawning Information Industry), a previously blacklisted supercomputer maker tied to China's defense modernization. Essentially, these companies facilitated hardware and infrastructure essential for HPC and highly accurate large-scale simulations that are usually used for development of aircraft, rockets, and other weapons of mass destruction. Finally, the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence and Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology were added to the U.S. Entity List for their involvement in developing AI models and advanced computing chips intended for Chinese military use. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, both entities were identified as working to acquire and apply American technology to advance China's defense modernization. "American technology should never be used against the American people," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey I. Kessler. "BIS is sending a clear, resounding message that the Trump administration will work tirelessly to safeguard our national security by preventing U.S. technologies and goods from being misused for high performance computing, hypersonic missiles, military aircraft training, and UAVs that threaten our national security," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey I. Kessler. "The Entity List is one of many powerful tools at our disposal to identify and cut off foreign adversaries seeking to exploit American technology for malign purposes."

Dozens of banned Chinese offshoots added to US entity list

Bad news for American tech businesses making money off deals with sanction-dodging companies The US government has initiated another crackdown on Chinese businesses skirting chip export bans, adding a few dozen new names, and offshoots of repeat offenders, to the entity list. The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released two lists of fresh entries yesterday that are set to hit the Federal Register on Friday. Some 80 companies were added in a bid to hamstring China's development of high-performance, exascale and quantum computing, among other things. "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick thundered. "We are committed to using every tool at the Department's disposal to ensure our most advanced technologies stay out of the hands of those who seek to harm Americans." While not all of the entities added to the list are from China, or were implicated in trying to acquire high-end chips and other computing components from US companies, a good number of them are. There are some familiar names on the list, too. Inspur, a Chinese server manufacturer and former frequent biz partner of US giants like Intel and IBM, which was put on the entity list in 2023, has had six of its subsidiaries added. As we noted days after Inspur was added to the list a couple of years back, US companies were still free to do business with its subsidiaries, a loophole that now appears to be closed. "These entities are being added for their contributions to Inspur's development of supercomputers for military end use, particularly by acquiring or attempting to acquire US-origin items in support of supercomputer projects for the Chinese government and/or military," the BIS said in its addition order. Also on the latest list is Nettrix, which was added alongside Henan Dingxin and Suma-USI Electronics, for their role in helping China develop exascale supercomputers. If those names don't sound familiar to you, another entity list member they're tied to may ring a bell: Sugon. Sugon, maker of some of the most powerful supercomputers in China, was placed on the entity list in 2019 in a bid to slow its progress. As the New York Times found out last year, Nettrix was actually an offshoot of Sugon, which Nvidia, Intel, and Microsoft were all quick to work with when its parent was added to the entity list. Also new to the list for supporting the development of advanced AI models in China are the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence and Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology company. Seven entities made the list for their role in helping China develop quantum computing technology. And Singleton Electronics and Suzhou SIP Hi-Tech Precision Electronics were also named for selling products to companies already on the entity list, including Huawei. Additionally, a few dozen earned places on the list for trying to acquire US-origin items to aid China's military modernization efforts, namely in the field of hypersonic weapons and aircraft. Organizations understood to be helping to train Chinese military forces using US-made equipment and assisting Iran's efforts to acquire UAVs were also added. American corporations are banned from doing business with those on the entity list unless they have permission from the Commerce Department. Even then, as many of these additions highlight, it's a constant game of whack-a-mole as China-based entitues add subsidiaries that spring up to circumvent bans which some American companies continue to accommodate. We contacted a number of US companies who have reportedly done business with subsidiaries named in this story. Nvidia declined to comment, and we didn't immediately hear back from any others. ®

US adds dozens of Chinese entities to export blacklist

The US has put dozens of Chinese entities on an export blacklist in the first big effort by the Trump administration to slow China's ability to develop advanced artificial intelligence chips, hypersonic weapons and military-related technology. The US Department of Commerce on Tuesday added more than 70 Chinese groups to the "entity list", which requires any American company selling technology to them to have a licence. In most cases the licence request will be denied. Among the listed groups are six Chinese subsidiaries of Inspur, a big cloud computing group that has worked with US chipmaker Intel, including one based in Taiwan. The Biden administration put Inspur on the entity list in 2023 but came under criticism for not adding its subsidiaries. The US said the subsidiaries were targeted for helping to develop supercomputers for military use and obtaining American-made technology to support projects for China and the People's Liberation Army. It added they had developed large AI models and advanced chips for military use. "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," said Howard Lutnick, the US commerce secretary. "We are committed to using every tool at the department's disposal to ensure our most advanced technologies stay out of the hands of those who seek to harm Americans." In most cases, the restrictions will apply to non-US companies that export products containing American technology to the Chinese groups, under an extraterritorial tool known as the "foreign direct product rule". The US also targeted four groups -- Henan Dingxin Information Industry, Nettrix Information Industry, Suma Technology and Suma-USI Electronics -- who are involved in developing exascale superconductors for military purposes, such as nuclear weapons modelling. Washington said they provided "significant manufacturing capabilities" to Sugon, an advanced computer server-maker put on the entity list in 2019 for building supercomputers for military use. The Biden administration imposed sweeping export controls on China encompassing everything from quantum computing to AI chips under its "small yard, high fence" policy. But critics accused it of failing to close loopholes that let some Chinese companies avoid restrictions. "These are long overdue actions plugging holes in existing regulations that were stymied for years by industry lobbyists," said one analyst focused on technology-related geopolitical issues. Jeffrey Kessler, under-secretary of commerce for industry and security, said his bureau was "sending a clear, resounding message" that the administration would prevent US technology "from being misused for high performance computing, hypersonic missiles, military aircraft training and [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] that threaten our national security". The US also added 10 entities based in China, South Africa and the UAE to the list over links to the Test Flying Academy of South Africa, a flight school that Washington put on the entity list in 2023 after discovering it was hiring western fighter jet pilots, including from the UK, to train Chinese pilots.

U.S. blacklists 50 Chinese companies in bid to curb Beijing's AI, chip capabilities

The export restrictions come at a time when tensions between Washington and Beijing have been rising with the Trump administration ratcheting up tariffs against China. The U.S. on Tuesday added dozens of Chinese tech companies to its export blacklist in its first such effort under the Donald Trump administration, as it doubles down on curtailing Beijing's artificial intelligence and advanced computing capabilities. The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security added 80 organizations to an "entity list," with more than 50 from China, barring American companies from supplying to those on the list without government permits. The companies were blacklisted for allegedly acting contrary to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, the agency said, as part of its efforts to further restrict Beijing's access to exascale computing tech, which can process vast amounts of data at very high speeds, as well as quantum technologies. Dozens of Chinese entities were targeted for their alleged involvement in developing advanced AI, supercomputers and high-performance AI chips for military purposes, the Commerce Department said, adding that two firms were supplying to sanctioned entities such as Huawei and its affiliated chipmaker HiSilicon. It blacklisted 27 Chinese entities for acquiring U.S.-origin items to support China's military modernization and seven firms for helping advance China's quantum technology capabilities. Among the organizations in the "entity list" were also six subsidiaries of Chinese cloud-computing firm Inspur Group, which had been blacklisted by the Joe Biden administration in 2023.

US adds Chinese tech firms to its export control list, says they sought US knowhow for military use

BANGKOK (AP) -- China protested Wednesday after the U.S. added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes. Companies from Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates also were included in the roughly 80 companies added to the "entity list" of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Six are subsidiaries of the Inspur Group, China's leading cloud computing and big data service provider. It was listed in the U.S. government's entity list in 2023. The update also includes the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which objected vehemently. "We are shocked that a private non-profit scientific research institution has been added to the entity list. We strongly oppose this wrong decision without any factual basis and ask the relevant U.S. departments to withdraw it," the research institute said in a statement. A review committee said the BAAI and another company, the Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology Co. were judged to have developed large AI models and advanced computer chips for military purposes. China's Foreign Ministry also lashed back, saying the entity list and other export controls were an abuse meant to "unjustly suppress Chinese enterprises." "It seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations, severely damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and undermines the security and stability of global supply chains. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine news briefing Wednesday. The aim is to restrict China's capacity to acquire and develop ultra fast, or "exascale" supercomputers, to develop hypersonic weapons and other sensitive technologies, the bureau said in a notice on its website. It also is intended to prevent South Africa's Test Flying Academy from using U.S. goods to train Chinese troops, disrupt Iran's access to unmanned aerial vehicles and other military items and hinder development of insecure nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it said. The companies on the list are subject to the "foreign direct product rule" of the BIS which allows it to control reexports and transfers of foreign-made products containing technology that the U.S. government deems vital for national security. The tightening of controls comes as the Trump administration prepares for another round of tariff hikes due next week, an escalation of the trade war that President Donald Trump launched during his first term in office. Trump has already raised tariffs on imports of Chinese goods to 20%. On Monday he said he would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela. China buys a large share of the oil exported by Venezuela. China has retaliated with its own countermeasures, including sweeping new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google. It also has moved to tighten its own sanctions regime, meanwhile, with a law enabling it to freeze assets of companies subject to Chinese sanctions.

U.S. Adds Export Restrictions to More Chinese Tech Firms Over Security Concerns

The Trump administration on Tuesday added 80 companies and organizations to a list of companies that are barred from buying American technology and other exports because of national security concerns. The move, which targeted primarily Chinese firms, cracks down on companies that have been big buyers of American chips from Nvidia, Intel and AMD. It also closed loopholes that Trump administration officials have long criticized as allowing Chinese firms to continue to advance technologically despite U.S. restrictions. One company added to the list, Nettrix Information Industry, was the focus of a 2024 investigation by The New York Times that showed how some Chinese executives had bypassed U.S. restrictions aimed at cutting China off from advanced chips to make artificial intelligence. Nettrix, one of China's largest makers of computer servers that are used to produce artificial intelligence, was started by a group of former executives from Sugon, a firm that provided advanced computing to the Chinese military and built a system the government used to surveil persecuted minorities in Xinjiang. In 2019, the United States added Sugon to its "entity list," restricting exports over national security concerns. The Times investigation found that, six months later, the executives formed Nettrix, using Sugon's technology and inheriting some of its customers. Times reporters also found that Nettrix's owners shared a complex in eastern China with Sugon and other related companies. After Sugon was singled out and restricted by the United States, its longtime partners -- Nvidia, Intel and Microsoft -- quickly formed ties with Nettrix, the investigation found. Records obtained through WireScreen, a business intelligence platform, showed that Sugon and Nettrix have links to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a vast research institution that develops chip technology, parts of which the United States has sanctioned for national security concerns. Procurement documents indicated that Nettrix had sold servers to universities that host defense laboratories and cybersecurity firms that work with the military and on China's Great Firewall, among other customers. Trump Administration: Live Updates Updated March 25, 2025, 7:24 p.m. ET53 minutes ago Trump signed an order calling for citizenship proof when voting.Trump pardons a former business partner of Hunter Biden who testified about the Bidens.Senate confirms Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. The Trump administration added 54 companies and organizations from China to the entity list on Tuesday, as well as more than two dozen others from Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. The entities added had made contributions to Pakistani nuclear activities and its missile program, advanced China's quantum technology capabilities and hypersonic weapons development, and tried to circumvent U.S. controls on Iran, among other actions, the administration said. "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," Howard Lutnick, the secretary of commerce, said in a statement. The Trump administration also expanded its penalties on Tuesday to several subsidiaries of Inspur Group, which has been a significant customer of Intel and other U.S. technology firms. The administration said those entities had aided Inspur's development of supercomputers that were used by the Chinese military, and had tried to acquire U.S. technology in support of that. The Biden administration added Inspur's parent company to the entity list in 2023, but after a brief pause, U.S. companies continued to do business with Inspur's subsidiaries. Inspur Group moved its registered address to a location about a mile away from its parent group in 2023. Trade experts have said that the impact of U.S. entity listings can be easy for companies to dodge, because the entity listing is tied to a specific name and address. Tuesday's entity listings together will affect a significant portion of the Chinese market for servers, a type of computer that is necessary to generate artificial intelligence. The Trump administration also added a special designation to its restrictions to expand the penalties globally, which will stop companies from trying to bypass U.S. rules by exporting products to the Chinese firms from countries other than the United States. The entity list was created under the Clinton administration to prevent adversaries from developing weapons of mass destruction, but presidents have wielded it increasingly aggressively over the past decade. Other groups added to the list Tuesday included the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which the administration said were being added for trying to acquire A.I. models and chips in support of China's military modernization.

US adds dozens of Chinese entities to export blacklist over AI and military concerns

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? The US has added dozens of Chinese tech companies to an export blacklist as it looks to slow down its rival's development of AI chips, as well as high-performance, exascale, and quantum computing for military use. China said the sanctions will not stop the country's development and progress, adding that the move reflects US anxiety over its rapid development of these technologies. The US Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has added 80 organizations to the entity list, including more than 70 from China. There are also entities from the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Iran, and Taiwan. American companies wishing to do business with those on the list must first secure a license, which is almost always denied. Donald Trump famously placed Huawei on the list in 2019, during his first term in office. Among those added to the list are six subsidiaries of cloud computing provider Inspur Group, which itself was added to the list in 2023. The subsidiaries were added for acquiring or attempting to acquire US-origin items in support of supercomputer projects for the Chinese government and/or military. They are also accused of developing large AI models and advanced chips for military use. The agency added that it is working toward impeding China's development of its hypersonic weapons program, and to impair the development of unsafeguarded nuclear activities and ballistic missile program. Also added to the list were Chinese server manufacturer Nettrix Information Industry Co, Suma Technology Co, and Suma-USI Electronics. Non-profit AI research institute Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence is another new addition. 27 Chinese entities were added for acquiring or attempting to acquire US-origin items in support of China's military modernization, and seven were added for advancing the CCP's quantum technology capabilities. There were also two Chinese entities added for selling products to parties on the entity list, including Huawei and HiSilicon. "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," said US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. Bao Jianyun, director of the Center for International Political Economy Studies at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that the move marks an escalation of the US' long-running effort to contain China's technological rise. He said it reflects the US' anxiety over China's rapid development of large language models, quantum computing, and other technologies. China's foreign ministry said it strongly condemns the export restrictions while urging the US to "stop generalizing national security," Reuters reports.

Trump admin blacklists dozens of Chinese tech and AI companies

The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security added 80 foreign entities from China, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Taiwan, and Iran to the Entity List to face trade restrictions. The U.S. bars companies from exporting goods to entities added to the list. Of the 80 entities blacklisted, more than half were Chinese entities, while the Taiwanese, South African, and Emirati entities were added to the list due to their ties to the Chinese military. The companies will be blacklisted in order to restrict Beijing's "ability to acquire and develop high performance and exascale computing capabilities, as well as quantum technologies, for military applications," the bureau said in a press release. The bureau is also worried about China's development of super-fast traveling hypersonic weapons technology, which experts have said is an area in which the U.S. has fallen behind China. The Department's announcement is the latest attempt by the U.S. to curb China's advancements in artificial intelligence and computing technology, and it builds on recent escalations by the Biden administration. "We are committed to using every tool at the Department's disposal to ensure our most advanced technologies stay out of the hands of those who seek to harm Americans," secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick said in the bureau's press release. "The Entity List is one of many powerful tools at our disposal to identify and cut off foreign adversaries seeking to exploit American technology for malign purposes," under secretary of commerce for industry and security Jeffrey I. Kessler said. One Taiwanese and 11 Chinese entities were added to the list for "engaging in the development of advanced AI, supercomputers and high-performance AI chips for China-based end-users with close ties to the country's military industrial complex," the bureau said in a press release. Seven Chinese entities were added for acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S.-origin items to advance quantum technology capabilities of China. The bureau said that China's strides in quantum technology and any military applications of it present "serious ramifications for U.S. national security." Twenty-seven Chinese entities were listed for acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S.-origin items to support hypersonic weapons and flight, and two Chinese entities were added to the list for selling products to parties already on the entity list, namely Chinese tech giant Huawei. President Donald Trump placed Huawei on the U.S. Entity List in 2019. The Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation into Huawei and other Chinese companies last week, saying that the FCC had reason to believe they are unlawfully continuing operations in the U.S.

US imposes trade restrictions on dozens of entities with eye on China

Washington (AFP) - The United States added dozens of entities to a trade blacklist Tuesday, its Commerce Department said, in part to disrupt Beijing's artificial intelligence and advanced computing capabilities. The action affects 80 entities from countries including China, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, with the department citing their "activities contrary to US national security and foreign policy." Those added to the "entity list" are restricted from obtaining US items and technologies without government authorization. "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," said US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The entities targeted include 11 based in China and one in Taiwan, accused of engaging in the development of advanced AI, supercomputers and high-performance AI chips for China-based users "with close ties to the country's military-industrial complex." They include the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence and subsidiaries of IT giant Inspur Group. Others were included for "contributions to unsafeguarded nuclear activities" or ballistic missile programs. The aim is to prevent US technologies and goods from being misused for activities like high performance computing, hypersonic missiles and military aircraft training, said Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler. Two entities in Iran and China were also added to the list for seeking to procure US items for Iran's defense industry and drone programs, the Commerce Department said. Beijing condemned the blacklisting of its firms, accusing Washington of "weaponizing" trade and technology in a "typical act of hegemonism". "We urge the US side to stop generalizing the concept of national security... and stop abusing all kinds of sanctions lists to unreasonably suppress Chinese enterprises," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a daily news conference. China would take "necessary measures" to defend its firms' rights, Guo added. Several of the blacklisted companies did not respond to AFP's request for comment on Wednesday.

U.S. blacklists these Chinese tech firms in latest update to export control list

China protested Wednesday after the U.S. added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes. Companies from Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates also were included in the roughly 80 companies added to the "entity list" of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Six are subsidiaries of the Inspur Group, China's leading cloud computing and big data service provider. It was listed in the U.S. government's entity list in 2023. The update also includes the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which objected vehemently. "We are shocked that a private non-profit scientific research institution has been added to the entity list. We strongly oppose this wrong decision without any factual basis and ask the relevant U.S. departments to withdraw it," the research institute said in a statement. A review committee said the BAAI and another company, the Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology Co. were judged to have developed large AI models and advanced computer chips for military purposes. China's Foreign Ministry also lashed back, saying the entity list and other export controls were an abuse meant to "unjustly suppress Chinese enterprises." "It seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations, severely damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and undermines the security and stability of global supply chains. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine news briefing Wednesday. The aim is to restrict China's capacity to acquire and develop ultra fast, or "exascale" supercomputers, to develop hypersonic weapons and other sensitive technologies, the bureau said in a notice on its website. It also is intended to prevent South Africa's Test Flying Academy from using U.S. goods to train Chinese troops, disrupt Iran's access to unmanned aerial vehicles and other military items and hinder development of insecure nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it said. The companies on the list are subject to the "foreign direct product rule" of the BIS which allows it to control reexports and transfers of foreign-made products containing technology that the U.S. government deems vital for national security. The tightening of controls comes as the Trump administration prepares for another round of tariff hikes due next week, an escalation of the trade war that President Donald Trump launched during his first term in office. Trump has already raised tariffs on imports of Chinese goods to 20%. On Monday he said he would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela. China buys a large share of the oil exported by Venezuela. China has retaliated with its own countermeasures, including sweeping new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google. It also has moved to tighten its own sanctions regime, meanwhile, with a law enabling it to freeze assets of companies subject to Chinese sanctions.

US imposes export restrictions on more Chinese tech firms - SiliconANGLE

The U.S. Commerce Department today imposed export restrictions on about 80 companies, including more than 50 that are based in China. According to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, at least two of the affected firms have used Nvidia Corp. chips in their products. The new restrictions will prevent the firms from procuring those chips going forward. Shares of Nvidia and several other major chipmakers declined on the news. The move was announced by the Bureau of Industry and Security, or BIS, a Commerce Department office tasked with enforcing trade controls. The 80 companies affected by the move are now on the agency's Entity List database of organizations subject to export restrictions. Companies are added to the list by an interagency committee that includes representatives from the Commerce, Defense, State, Energy and Treasury Departments. "The Entity List is one of many powerful tools at our disposal to identify and cut off foreign adversaries seeking to exploit American technology for malign purposes," said Jeffrey Kessler, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security. According to BIS officials, 11 of the Chinese companies to which the new export restrictions apply focus on artificial intelligence. The firms develop advanced AI, high-performance AI chips and supercomputers for "China-based end-users with close ties to the country's military-industrial complex." Two other Chinese firms were added to the Entity List for selling products to companies already in the database, notably Huawei Technologies Co. and its chip business. Another seven organizations were added because they attempted to procure U.S.-origin products for use in China's quantum computing initiatives. According to the New York Times, Chinese AI server maker Nettrix is among the companies to which the new export restrictions apply. It was founded by former executives from another Chinese tech firm that has been on the Entity List since 2019. Nettrix reportedly formed ties with Nvidia, Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp. following its launch a few years ago. The Commerce Department also added six subsidiaries of Inspur Group, China's largest server maker, to the Entity List. The Journal reported that the company is a major customer of Nvidia chips. The Biden administration implemented export restrictions that prohibit the sale of Nvidia's most advanced AI processors to China. As a result, the company sells significantly scaled-down versions of its chips to Chinese customers. One of the Inspur Group subsidiaries affected by today's export restrictions, Inspur Electronic, reportedly makes AI systems that incorporate the scaled-down Nvidia chips. Inspur Group owns one third of Inspur Electronic. The latter company, in turn, wholly owns a U.S.-based firm called Aivres Systems. Aivres reportedly sells AI systems that use Nvidia's most advanced processors rather than the scaled-down versions. The company is believed to have customers in the U.S., Japan and other markets.

US sanctions hit 50+ Chinese tech firms over AI and quantum links

The US Department of Commerce has hit 80 foreign entities, including over 50 based in China, with export control restrictions. The move curbs the flow of advanced American technologies, specifically targeting firms involved in artificial intelligence, exascale computing, and quantum technologies -- all critical areas for military advancements. This first action under Trump's national security policy targets over 50 Chinese firms, reflecting ongoing tensions between the US and China over tech dominance. The banned companies, now requiring government-issued licenses for US businesses to supply them, span various tech sectors crucial for military uses. They can no longer receive supplies from US firms without these licenses. Among the 80 newly listed entities, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) identified 27 Chinese organizations for allegedly obtaining US-origin items that bolster China's military modernisation efforts. Another seven face restrictions for aiding China's advancements in quantum technology, a field with significant dual-civilian and military applications. Two other categories explain this imposition: enhancing China's quantum technology capabilities and blacklisting firms with links to already-sanctioned Chinese giants like Huawei and HiSilicon. SHen specificity, six subsidiaries of Inspur Group find themselves back on the list, having faced prior sanctions under the Biden administration in 2023. They show that concerns about Inspur's role remain high among Washington officials. Washington broadened these controls to entities in third countries viewed as "transit points" or intermediaries, identifying emerging tactics used by Chinese firms to sidestep export restrictions. China's fast-growing AI sector has intensified these measures. DeepSeek, an AI startup, has surged recently via open-source, low-cost AI models -- challenging US tech dominance and fueling concerns over technology adoption globally. These actions come amid heightened US-China tensions, with a U.S. "small yard, high fence" policy designed to isolate sensitive tech while keeping general trade open. The policy targets semiconductor, supercomputer, and AI chip development. The Commerce Department maintains vigilance in tracking and tracing unauthorised exports, particularly exports involving advanced semiconductors from leading manufacturers like Nvidia and AMD. Investigations into associated smuggling activities and circumvention are ongoing. The focused targeting of Chinese firms and subsidiaries shows the U.S. is really forcing the issue when it comes to Beijing's capacity to modernize its military with technology from American companies. This precise, surgical nature of certain bans suggests Washington is up to speed on the co-optation maneuvers of Chinese tech companies. While curbing advanced technologies from lesser firms may barely register, Inspur's second listing underlines the U.S. resolve to tangle up Beijing's supply chain, irrespective of who holds the reins in the Oval Office. The inclusion of overseas intermediaries powerfully underscores these new restrictions do not just affect American firms. The is not merely deepening tensions but forcing Washington's battles in trade and military expansion to expand way beyond its own borders and into those of important allies.

US adds Chinese tech firms to its export control list, says they sought US knowhow for military use

BANGKOK (AP) -- China protested Wednesday after the U.S. added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes. Companies from Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates also were included in the roughly 80 companies added to the "entity list" of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Six are subsidiaries of the Inspur Group, China's leading cloud computing and big data service provider. It was listed in the U.S. government's entity list in 2023. The update also includes the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which objected vehemently. "We are shocked that a private non-profit scientific research institution has been added to the entity list. We strongly oppose this wrong decision without any factual basis and ask the relevant U.S. departments to withdraw it," the research institute said in a statement. A review committee said the BAAI and another company, the Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology Co. were judged to have developed large AI models and advanced computer chips for military purposes. China's Foreign Ministry also lashed back, saying the entity list and other export controls were an abuse meant to "unjustly suppress Chinese enterprises." "It seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations, severely damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and undermines the security and stability of global supply chains. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine news briefing Wednesday. The aim is to restrict China's capacity to acquire and develop ultra fast, or "exascale" supercomputers, to develop hypersonic weapons and other sensitive technologies, the bureau said in a notice on its website. It also is intended to prevent South Africa's Test Flying Academy from using U.S. goods to train Chinese troops, disrupt Iran's access to unmanned aerial vehicles and other military items and hinder development of insecure nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it said. The companies on the list are subject to the "foreign direct product rule" of the BIS which allows it to control reexports and transfers of foreign-made products containing technology that the U.S. government deems vital for national security. The tightening of controls comes as the Trump administration prepares for another round of tariff hikes due next week, an escalation of the trade war that President Donald Trump launched during his first term in office. Trump has already raised tariffs on imports of Chinese goods to 20%. On Monday he said he would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela. China buys a large share of the oil exported by Venezuela. China has retaliated with its own countermeasures, including sweeping new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google. It also has moved to tighten its own sanctions regime, meanwhile, with a law enabling it to freeze assets of companies subject to Chinese sanctions.

US adds Chinese tech firms to its export control list, says they sought US knowhow for military use

BANGKOK -- China protested Wednesday after the U.S. added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes. Companies from Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates also were included in the roughly 80 companies added to the "entity list" of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Six are subsidiaries of the Inspur Group, China's leading cloud computing and big data service provider. It was listed in the U.S. government's entity list in 2023. The update also includes the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which objected vehemently. "We are shocked that a private non-profit scientific research institution has been added to the entity list. We strongly oppose this wrong decision without any factual basis and ask the relevant U.S. departments to withdraw it," the research institute said in a statement. A review committee said the BAAI and another company, the Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology Co. were judged to have developed large AI models and advanced computer chips for military purposes. China's Foreign Ministry also lashed back, saying the entity list and other export controls were an abuse meant to "unjustly suppress Chinese enterprises." "It seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations, severely damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and undermines the security and stability of global supply chains. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine news briefing Wednesday. The aim is to restrict China's capacity to acquire and develop ultra fast, or "exascale" supercomputers, to develop hypersonic weapons and other sensitive technologies, the bureau said in a notice on its website. It also is intended to prevent South Africa's Test Flying Academy from using U.S. goods to train Chinese troops, disrupt Iran's access to unmanned aerial vehicles and other military items and hinder development of insecure nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it said. The companies on the list are subject to the "foreign direct product rule" of the BIS which allows it to control reexports and transfers of foreign-made products containing technology that the U.S. government deems vital for national security. The tightening of controls comes as the Trump administration prepares for another round of tariff hikes due next week, an escalation of the trade war that President Donald Trump launched during his first term in office. Trump has already raised tariffs on imports of Chinese goods to 20%. On Monday he said he would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela. China buys a large share of the oil exported by Venezuela. China has retaliated with its own countermeasures, including sweeping new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google. It also has moved to tighten its own sanctions regime, meanwhile, with a law enabling it to freeze assets of companies subject to Chinese sanctions.

US Adds Chinese Tech Firms to Its Export Control List, Says They Sought US Knowhow for Military Use

BANGKOK (AP) -- China protested Wednesday after the U.S. added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes. Companies from Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates also were included in the roughly 80 companies added to the "entity list" of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Six are subsidiaries of the Inspur Group, China's leading cloud computing and big data service provider. It was listed in the U.S. government's entity list in 2023. The update also includes the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which objected vehemently. "We are shocked that a private non-profit scientific research institution has been added to the entity list. We strongly oppose this wrong decision without any factual basis and ask the relevant U.S. departments to withdraw it," the research institute said in a statement. A review committee said the BAAI and another company, the Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology Co. were judged to have developed large AI models and advanced computer chips for military purposes. China's Foreign Ministry also lashed back, saying the entity list and other export controls were an abuse meant to "unjustly suppress Chinese enterprises." "It seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations, severely damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and undermines the security and stability of global supply chains. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine news briefing Wednesday. The aim is to restrict China's capacity to acquire and develop ultra fast, or "exascale" supercomputers, to develop hypersonic weapons and other sensitive technologies, the bureau said in a notice on its website. It also is intended to prevent South Africa's Test Flying Academy from using U.S. goods to train Chinese troops, disrupt Iran's access to unmanned aerial vehicles and other military items and hinder development of insecure nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it said. The companies on the list are subject to the "foreign direct product rule" of the BIS which allows it to control reexports and transfers of foreign-made products containing technology that the U.S. government deems vital for national security. The tightening of controls comes as the Trump administration prepares for another round of tariff hikes due next week, an escalation of the trade war that President Donald Trump launched during his first term in office. Trump has already raised tariffs on imports of Chinese goods to 20%. On Monday he said he would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela. China buys a large share of the oil exported by Venezuela. China has retaliated with its own countermeasures, including sweeping new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google. It also has moved to tighten its own sanctions regime, meanwhile, with a law enabling it to freeze assets of companies subject to Chinese sanctions. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AI, cloud companies among 50 China entities in US export blacklist

BANGKOK: Beijing protested Wednesday after the US added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes. Companies from Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates also were included in the roughly 80 companies added to the "entity list" of the commerce department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). Six are subsidiaries of the Inspur Group, China's leading cloud computing and big data service provider which was listed in the US government's entity list in 2023. The update also includes the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI), which objected vehemently. "We are shocked that a private non-profit scientific research institution has been added to the entity list. We strongly oppose this wrong decision without any factual basis and ask the relevant US departments to withdraw it," the institute said. A review committee said the BAAI and a firm, Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology Co, were judged to have developed large AI models and advanced computer chips for military purposes. China's foreign ministry also lashed back, saying the entity list and other export controls were an abuse meant to "unjustly suppress Chinese enterprises." "It seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations, severely damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and undermines the security and stability of global supply chains. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine news briefing Wednesday. To prevent weapons development The aim is to restrict China's capacity to acquire and develop ultra fast, or "exascale" supercomputers, to develop hypersonic weapons and other sensitive technologies, read a notice on the BIS website. It added that the bureau intends to prevent South Africa's Test Flying Academy from using US goods to train Chinese troops, disrupt Iran's access to drones and other military items and hinder development of insecure nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The companies on the list are subject to the "foreign direct product rule" of the BIS, which allows it to control reexports and transfers of foreign-made products containing technology that the US government deems vital for national security. The tightening of controls comes as the Trump administration prepares for another round of tariff hikes due next week, an escalation of the trade war that President Donald Trump launched during his first term in office. Trump has already hiked tariffs on imports of Chinese goods to 20%. On Monday, he said he would slap a 25% tariff on all imports from nations that buy oil or gas from Venezuela. China buys a large share of the oil exported by Venezuela. China has retaliated with its own countermeasures, including sweeping new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google. It has also moved to tighten its own sanctions regime, meanwhile, with a law enabling it to freeze assets of companies subject to Chinese sanctions.

US adds export restrictions to more Chinese tech firms over security concerns

The Trump administration added 80 companies, mainly Chinese, to a list barring them from purchasing American technology due to national security concerns. This includes Nettrix, linked to Sugon, accused of circumventing restrictions on advanced chips. The move targets entities aiding China's military, AI, and quantum technology advancements.The Trump administration on Tuesday added 80 companies and organizations to a list of companies that are barred from buying American technology and other exports because of national security concerns. The move, which targeted primarily Chinese firms, cracks down on companies that have been big buyers of American chips from Nvidia, Intel and AMD. It also closed loopholes that Trump administration officials have long criticized as allowing Chinese firms to continue to advance technologically despite US restrictions. One company added to the list, Nettrix Information Industry, was the focus of a 2024 investigation by The New York Times that showed how some Chinese executives had bypassed US restrictions aimed at cutting China off from advanced chips to make artificial intelligence. Nettrix, one of China's largest makers of computer servers that are used to produce artificial intelligence, was started by a group of former executives from Sugon, a firm that provided advanced computing to the Chinese military and built a system the government used to surveil persecuted minorities in the western Xinjiang region. In 2019, the United States added Sugon to its "entity list," restricting exports over national security concerns. The Times investigation found that, six months later, the executives formed Nettrix, using Sugon's technology and inheriting some of its customers. Times reporters also found that Nettrix's owners shared a complex in eastern China with Sugon and other related companies. After Sugon was singled out and restricted by the United States, its longtime partners -- Nvidia, Intel and Microsoft -- quickly formed ties with Nettrix, the investigation found. Records obtained through WireScreen, a business intelligence platform, showed that Sugon and Nettrix have links to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a vast research institution that develops chip technology, parts of which the United States has placed under sanctions for national security concerns. Procurement documents indicated that Nettrix had sold servers to universities that host defence laboratories and cybersecurity firms that work with the military and on China's Great Firewall, among other customers. The Trump administration added 54 companies and organizations from China to the entity list Tuesday, as well as more than two dozen from Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. The added entities had made contributions to Pakistani nuclear activities and its missile program, advanced China's quantum technology capabilities and hypersonic weapons development, and tried to circumvent US controls on Iran, among other actions, the administration said. "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement. The Trump administration also expanded its penalties Tuesday to several subsidiaries of Inspur Group, which has been a significant customer of Intel and other US technology firms. The administration said those entities had aided Inspur's development of supercomputers that were used by the Chinese military, and had tried to acquire US technology in support of that. The Biden administration added Inspur's parent company to the entity list in 2023, but after a brief pause, US companies continued to do business with Inspur's subsidiaries. Inspur Group moved its registered address to a location about 1 mile away from its parent group in 2023. Trade experts have said the impact of US entity listings can be easy for companies to dodge, because the entity listing is tied to a specific name and address. Tuesday's entity listings together will affect a significant portion of the Chinese market for servers, a type of computer that is necessary to generate artificial intelligence. The Trump administration also added a special designation to its restrictions to expand the penalties globally, which will stop companies from trying to bypass US rules by exporting products to the Chinese firms from countries other than the United States. The entity list was created under the Clinton administration to prevent adversaries from developing weapons of mass destruction, but presidents have wielded it increasingly aggressively over the past decade. Other groups added to the list Tuesday included the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which the administration said was added for trying to acquire AI models and chips in support of China's military modernisation.

US Adds 50 Chinese Entities To Export Restriction List Curtailing Access To Nvidia, AMD Chips - NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

The Trump Administration announced on Tuesday that it has added more than 50 Chinese organizations to an export restriction list in an effort to hamper the development of China's advanced AI, semiconductors and supercomputing capabilities. The Details: The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security added more than 50 entities based in China to the Commerce Department's Entity List, prohibiting exports to those organizations without an approved permit. The move aims to curb China's military modernization and hypersonic weapons development by restricting access to U.S. technology, including advanced semiconductors made by Nvidia Corp. NVDA and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD. Read Next: Big Tech Companies Employ Majority Of H-1B Visa Workers: Where Do Amazon, Google, Meta Rank? "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. "We are committed to using every tool at the Department's disposal to ensure our most advanced technologies stay out of the hands of those who seek to harm Americans. At the same time, we will continue to drive American innovation, ensuring that our nation's economic strength remains unparalleled," Lutnick added. The latest additions to the export controls list marks the first such move under the Trump administration and expands on the sweeping export controls placed on China by the Biden administration. Alex Capri, a senior lecturer at the National University of Singapore, told CNBC that the move is intended to "cast an ever-widening net aimed at third countries, transit points and intermediaries." "U.S. officials will continue to step up tracking and tracing operations aimed at the smuggling of advanced semiconductors made by Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices," Capri added. The enhanced export restrictions come as President Donald Trump amplifies tariffs against China-made goods as tensions between the U.S. and China increase. The Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. told Reuters that it opposed "these acts taken by the US and demand that it immediately stop using military-related issues as pretexts to politicize, instrumentalize and weaponize trade and tech issues." China is fighting back with new energy efficiency standards for advanced chips, which could block Chinese firms from purchasing Nvidia's top-performing processors if enforced rigorously. China's economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission urged domestic companies to adopt chips that comply with these strict requirements for new data centers and facility upgrades. Nvidia's H20 chip -- a downgraded variant designed to comply with U.S. export restrictions -- currently falls short of the NDRC's updated criteria. Read More: Trump's Tariffs On Buyers Of Venezuelan Oil Could Boost Energy Sector, Exxon Mobil Stock Image: Shutterstock NVDANVIDIA Corp$115.89-3.98%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum81.60Growth95.07Quality97.55Value7.07Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewAMDAdvanced Micro Devices Inc$112.15-2.31%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

White House adds dozens of Chinese tech firms to export 'blacklist'...

The US on Tuesday added more than 50 Chinese entities to its export blacklist as it seeks to crack down on the nation's artificial intelligence, quantum computing and military advancements. In total, the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security added 80 foreign entities to the list on the basis of national security concerns, including firms from China, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Iran. "Under the strong leadership of President Donald Trump, the Commerce Department is taking decisive action to protect America," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement. "We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives," he added. The blacklist additions aim to restrict the Chinese Communist Party's ability to develop high-level quantum computing capabilities, and stifle its hypersonic weapons program, the US argued. Included among the additions are six subsidiaries of Inspur Group, China's top cloud computing and data service provider, which was blacklisted in 2023 by the Biden administration. The Chinese embassy in Washington denounced the additions, and demanded the US "immediately stop using military-related issues as pretexts to politicize, instrumentalize and weaponize trade and tech issues," according to Reuters. In 2023, when Inspur was placed on the Entity List, chip insiders said their firms were trying to assess whether they had to stop supplying Inspur's subsidiaries, as well, according to Reuters. Inspur did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. Tensions have heated up between China and the US in the race to develop advanced quantum computing and AI systems. Calls have grown for the Trump administration to stop the smuggling of advanced chips from US firms like Nvidia and AMD - especially after China's DeepSeek shook the industry with its low-cost AI model. The startup has said it used Nvidia chips to develop the bot. Nvidia declined to comment. AMD did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The blacklist additions are also an attempt to keep Iran from getting its hands on more drones and defense items, and disrupt development of its ballistic missile program, the US said. "The Entity List is one of many powerful tools at our disposal to identify and cut off foreign adversaries seeking to exploit American technology for malign purposes," Jeffrey Kessler, under secretary of commerce for industry and security, said in a statement.

U.S. adds Chinese tech firms to its export control list, says they sought U.S. knowhow for military use

BANGKOK -- China protested Wednesday after the U.S. added dozens of companies to its export control list, including more than 50 based in China that it says sought advanced knowhow in supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technology for military purposes. Companies from Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and United Arab Emirates also were included in the roughly 80 companies added to the "entity list" of the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Six are subsidiaries of the Inspur Group, China's leading cloud computing and big data service provider. It was listed in the U.S. government's entity list in 2023. The update also includes the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, which objected vehemently. "We are shocked that a private non-profit scientific research institution has been added to the entity list. We strongly oppose this wrong decision without any factual basis and ask the relevant U.S. departments to withdraw it," the research institute said in a statement. A review committee said the BAAI and another company, the Beijing Innovation Wisdom Technology Co. were judged to have developed large AI models and advanced computer chips for military purposes. China's Foreign Ministry also lashed back, saying the entity list and other export controls were an abuse meant to "unjustly suppress Chinese enterprises." "It seriously violates international law and basic norms of international relations, severely damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and undermines the security and stability of global supply chains. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns this," ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a routine news briefing Wednesday. The aim is to restrict China's capacity to acquire and develop ultra fast, or "exascale" supercomputers, to develop hypersonic weapons and other sensitive technologies, the bureau said in a notice on its website. It also is intended to prevent South Africa's Test Flying Academy from using U.S. goods to train Chinese troops, disrupt Iran's access to unmanned aerial vehicles and other military items and hinder development of insecure nuclear and ballistic missile programs, it said. The companies on the list are subject to the "foreign direct product rule" of the BIS which allows it to control reexports and transfers of foreign-made products containing technology that the U.S. government deems vital for national security. The tightening of controls comes as the Trump administration prepares for another round of tariff hikes due next week, an escalation of the trade war that President Donald Trump launched during his first term in office. Trump has already raised tariffs on imports of Chinese goods to 20%. On Monday he said he would impose a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela. China buys a large share of the oil exported by Venezuela. China has retaliated with its own countermeasures, including sweeping new duties on a variety of American goods and an anti-monopoly investigation into Google. It also has moved to tighten its own sanctions regime, meanwhile, with a law enabling it to freeze assets of companies subject to Chinese sanctions.