During a recent interview with National Public Radio, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken clarified that the strict export control measures implemented on advanced computer chips to China were not aimed at obstructing China’s economic or technological growth. Since 2022, the US government has imposed strict controls on the export of computer chips to China, affecting sales from companies like Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Intel.
Despite these restrictions, the US government has granted at least two licenses to companies like Intel and Qualcomm to continue selling chips to Huawei. While some Republican Party lawmakers have criticized this exception, Blinken emphasized that the US is not aiming to restrict China’s development in general. In fact, during his visit to Beijing earlier this year, Blinken pointed out that the US is primarily focusing on preventing the sale of sensitive technology that could potentially threaten national security.
The licenses granted to Intel and Qualcomm were extended during the Trump administration and have remained in effect under President Biden. However, other companies like AMD and MediaTek did not receive similar exceptions without a clear explanation from either administration as to why. This move highlights the US government’s carefully targeted approach to limiting certain technology exports to China while still allowing for exceptions in specific areas where continued cooperation is necessary for national security interests.
