US Government’s Export Controls on Chips to China: A Targeted Approach to National Security

During a recent interview with National Public Radio, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken shed light on the US government’s export control measures on advanced computer chips to China. According to Blinken, the restrictions were not intended to hinder China’s economic or technological growth.

Since 2022, the US government has imposed strict controls on the export of computer chips to China, impacting sales from companies like Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Intel. These controls come after a previous ban on chip shipments to Huawei Technologies. However, despite the restrictions, US officials have granted at least two licenses to companies like Intel and Qualcomm to continue selling chips to Huawei.

In his visit to Beijing earlier this month, Blinken emphasized that the US is not aiming to restrict China’s development in general. Instead, he pointed out that the primary focus is 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. The ultimate goal is to safeguard national security interests without unnecessarily hindering broader economic or technological development in China.

In an interview with National Public Radio on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken clarified that the strict export control measures implemented by the US government on advanced computer chips sent