China on Saturday accused the United States of “intimidation” after Washington announced export controls to SMIC, the largest Chinese computer chip manufacturer, among other Chinese companies over alleged ties to the Chinese military.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that it “strongly opposes” the move, which will affect the country’s largest chip maker, SMIC, and pledged to “take the necessary steps” to protect the rights of Chinese companies.
In addition, he accused the United States of “abusing export controls and other measures to” continually repress foreign entities, and urged Washington to “end unilateralism and intimidation.”
The Commerce Department said Washington has evidence that SMIC has been working with the Chinese military to develop short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and exoskeletons for soldiers, but has been arguing with the Chinese company for months about how to do this. avoid the penalty.
This move requires US companies to apply for a license before exporting their products to SMIC, and specifically focuses on the Chinese company’s ability to purchase materials to produce chips of 10 nanometers or less, the best in the industry.
The decision increases pressure on the chip maker, which has received billions of dollars in support from Beijing and is central to its efforts to improve the country’s technological self-sufficiency.
This new incident takes place in the closing weeks of President Donald Trump’s mandate, under whose administrative relations between Washington and Beijing were tense and a trade war started, in which the United States expanded its list to a few hundred Chinese companies and subsidiaries. of sanctioned entities.