‘Unilateral’ Export Controls Harm US Chip Companies, Says Intel Strategist

Intel “generally” opposes U.S. imposition of “unilateral export controls” on foreign tech companies suspected of threatening U.S. national security, said Tom Quillin, senior director-security and trust policy, at a virtual forum convened Thursday by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security to identify risks in the semiconductor supply chain. BIS said it will use feedback from the forum, plus comments received in its notice of inquiry, to help shape recommendations to the White House on President Joe Biden’s Feb. 24 executive order to relieve supply chain bottlenecks (see 2103110054). BIS export restrictions “place undue hardship on U.S. semiconductor companies, especially when similar items are available in foreign markets,” said Quillin. “The foreign availability of products and technology typically leads to the substitution of U.S-origin products and technology for comparable non-U.S.-origin items that are not similarly controlled.” He avoided mention of Huawei and other Chinese companies on the BIS Entity List.