By Alexandra Alper
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration will unveil new export restrictions on China next week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told members in an email on Thursday.
The new regulations could add up to 200 Chinese chip companies to a list of trade restrictions that bans most U.S. suppliers from shipping goods to the targeted companies, the email from the powerful Washington-based lobby group said, according to an excerpt seen by Reuters on Friday . .
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The Commerce Department, which oversees U.S. export policy, plans to issue the new regulations “before the Thanksgiving holiday” next Thursday, the email said.
The Chamber of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment. The Commerce Department declined to comment.
If the update is accurate, it appears the Biden administration is moving ahead with plans to further crack down on China’s access to semiconductors, even as Republican President Donald Trump’s second term begins in January.
Another set of rules restricting the shipment of high-bandwidth memory chips to China is expected to be unveiled next month as part of a broader artificial intelligence package, the email continued.
Biden has imposed a series of export controls on China to halt its technological advances, amid fears the technology could be used to strengthen China’s military.
Sources briefed on the matter said the first round of regulations will likely include restrictions on the shipment of chip manufacturing tools to China.
Reuters reported in July that the US planned to unveil a new package of export controls for China, including adding about 120 Chinese entities to the restricted trade list.
(Reporting by Alexandra Alper; additional reporting by Karen Freifeld; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
