Written by Stephen Nellis
(Reuters) – Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a National Public Radio interview on Friday that U.S. export restrictions on exports of advanced computing chips to China will not stifle China’s economic or technological development. Ta.
Starting in 2022, U.S. authorities have imposed sweeping controls on computing chip exports to China, cutting off some sales from Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, and others, among others. These restrictions follow an earlier ban on chip shipments to Huawei.
But U.S. authorities have granted licenses to at least two American companies, Intel and Qualcomm, to continue shipping chips to Huawei, which is using Intel chips to power new laptop models. Two Republican senators criticized the Intel exemption earlier this week, but Blinken stressed in an interview with NPR that the device was a sign that the U.S. was not trying to undermine China. .
“I saw Huawei launch a new laptop that boasts AI support and is powered by Intel chips,” Blinken told NPR host Steve Inskeep during a visit to Beijing. “I think this shows that our focus is only on the most sensitive technologies that could pose a threat to our security. The focus is not on shutting down China, or for that matter, containing or restraining China.”
Intel and Qualcomm’s sales licenses to Huawei were granted during President Donald Trump’s administration and are maintained under President Joe Biden. Direct competitors of these companies, AMD and MediaTek, do not receive similar exemptions, and neither the Trump nor Biden administrations have explained why.
(This article has been reedited to correct Antony Blinken’s name in fourth paragraph)
(Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Sandra Mahler)
