Republican Lawmakers Urge Biden Administration: Tighten Export Controls on Computer Chips Amid National Security Concerns
Senior Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have called on the Biden administration to enforce stricter export controls on advanced computing chips and tools sent to China, citing concerns over national security. The lawmakers highlighted the need to update existing rules to close loopholes, particularly in light of recent advancements by China's top chipmaker, SMIC. The plea comes as Huawei unveils a smartphone containing SMIC-produced chips, despite US sanctions. The lawmakers urge the administration to revise the rules and take decisive action against Huawei and SMIC to protect American interests.
In a bid to address concerns over national security, two senior Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives have urged the Biden administration for stricter enforcement of export controls on advanced computing chips and their manufacturing tools sent to China. Representatives Michael McCaul and Mike Gallagher, who chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a select committee on China, respectively, highlighted the need to update the existing rules to close existing loopholes while referencing new advancements made by China's top chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC).
The lawmakers' plea comes in the wake of Huawei Technologies' recent unveiling of the Mate 60 Pro smartphone, which contains advanced chips produced by SMIC despite U.S. sanctions. McCaul and Gallagher voiced their concerns about what they perceive as a lack of understanding of China's industrial policy, military objectives, and technology on the part of the bureaucracy responsible for enforcing export controls. They stressed the urgent need for the Biden administration to revise the rules and take decisive action against Huawei and SMIC.
Furthermore, the letter sent to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan emphasizes the necessity of severing Chinese companies' access to powerful artificial intelligence chips obtained through cloud computing services. The lawmakers also urged the administration to enforce its own regulations regarding restrictions on Chinese companies, which would require U.S. officials to verify compliance with U.S. export rules. Reports indicate that the Biden administration has already informed China of its plans to update the rules.
However, there has been no immediate response from spokespeople representing the National Security Council or the Bureau of Industry and Security, which oversees export controls within the Commerce Department. The call for stronger export controls on advanced computing chips reflects growing concerns over China's technology industry and its potential impact on national security. With Huawei's defiance of U.S. sanctions by utilizing SMIC's advanced chips and the perceived gaps in the existing rules, lawmakers are urging the administration to act swiftly to address these concerns and protect American interests.
