The Treasury Department should “carefully scope” its proposed new outbound investment restrictions (see 2308090066 and 2310050035) to ensure U.S. capital does not help China’s military develop its artificial intelligence capabilities, a U.S. congressional commission heard this month.
Exports to China
A bipartisan group of 18 senators led by Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., sent a letter Jan. 31 to President Joe Biden urging him to boost enforcement of oil sanctions on Iran to curb Tehran’s ability to fund terrorism.
Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., announced Jan. 31 that she has introduced a bill to revamp U.S. export control processes to make it harder for China and other “foreign adversaries” to obtain sensitive technology.
The U.S. may need to take stronger export control actions to stifle Chinese progress in artificial intelligence, including broader semiconductor-related restrictions, a U.S. congressional commission heard this week. But the commission was also warned about the dangers of overly broad controls on more emerging technologies, such as quantum, which experts said could hurt instead of help U.S. competition with China.
As the U.S. pursues new export controls on emerging technologies destined to China, it’s also focusing heavily on updating existing controls to close loopholes and keep pace with technological changes, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said this week.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, D-Md., said Feb. 1 that he is working with ranking member Jim Risch, R-Idaho, to craft a “comprehensive” bill to address a wide range of concerns about China.
The Defense Department this week updated its list of Chinese companies that it said have ties to that country’s military. The latest tranche of entities on the Section 1260H List includes various companies operating in China’s technology sector, among them Beijing Megvii Technology, a Chinese facial recognition software company (see 2112160062), and Hesai Technology, the largest Chinese lidar company by sales (see 2401090033). “The Department will continue to update the list with additional entities as appropriate,” the Pentagon said.
The U.S. charged four Chinese nationals this week for their parts in a yearslong conspiracy to violate export controls by smuggling electronic parts through China and to Iran.
U.S. trade policy toward China should concentrate on protecting advanced technology, as opposed to completely decoupling from the Communist country, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Jan. 30.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., asked CBS News on Jan. 31 whether it accepted any goods or services from two sanctioned Chinese entities, potentially in violation of U.S. law, while touring China’s Xinjiang region for an article.