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☆ U.S. rolls out new chip-related export controls as China makes industry advances
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-06 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration is rolling out new export controls on critical technologies, including quantum computing and semiconductor goods, as China makes advances in the global chips industry. The department cited "national security and foreign policy reasons" for the move, and said it was the product of extensive discussions with international partners. These restrictions cover worldwide exports, but adds exemptions for countries that add similar controls, such as Japan and the Netherlands have done in the past. "Aligning our controls on quantum and other advanced technologies makes it significantly more difficult for our adversaries to develop and deploy these technologies in ways that threaten our collective security," he added. BIS also said it is also continuing to strengthen relationships with its allies to boost the effectiveness of export controls aimed at degrading Russia's military capabilities, as well as its "enablers" such as Belarus and Iran.

Persons: Biden, Alan Estevez Organizations: U.S . Department of Commerce, department's, of Industry and Security, BIS Locations: China, U.S, Japan, Netherlands, Belarus, Iran

☆ US introduces new export curbs on advanced technology, including chip-making tools
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-06 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The United States has announced new export controls on advanced technology, including quantum computers, in line with restrictions imposed by international partners. Besides quantum computing items, the curbs will affect equipment for producing advanced semiconductors, additive manufacturing items to produce metal components and gate all-around field-effect transistor (GAAFET) technology, according to a Federal Register posting. Several countries, including the United Kingdom, have already imposed similar controls, and others are expected to do so as well. “The most significant controls are the ones on quantum computers and related technology,” said Washington trade lawyer Kevin Wolf. But, she said, small companies may decide, “we don’t want to have to figure out this reporting.

Persons: ” Alan Estevez, ”, Kevin Wolf, “, ” Wolf, Celia Merzbacher, ” Merzbacher, …, we’re Organizations: Bureau of Industry, Security, Economic, Consortium Locations: States, United Kingdom, Washington, United States

☆ China slams U.S. for adding firms to export control list over alleged support for Russian military
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-26 | by ( Sheila Chiang | In Sheilachiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' week in Woodside, California, Nov. 15, 2023. China on Sunday said it "resolutely opposes" the U.S. decision to add multiple Chinese entities to its export control list in a bid to further curb Russia's access to advanced U.S. technology required for its weapons. The U.S. on Friday said it is tightening export controls to "further restrict the supply of both U.S.-origin and 'U.S. A total of 123 entities were added to the list, including 42 located in China, 63 from Russia and 14 in Türkiye, Iran, and Cyprus. Firms on the "Entity List" are subjected to export restrictions and licensing requirements for certain technologies and goods.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Alan Estevez Organizations: Economic Cooperation, Xinhua, China's Ministry of Commerce, Firms, Commerce, Industry Locations: Asia, Woodside , California, China, Beijing, U.S, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Türkiye, Iran, Cyprus

☆ Trump's stance on Taiwan could potentially be devastating for the US economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Trump's stance could have major implications for Taiwan's dominance in semiconductor chip manufacturing should any potential conflict arise between Taiwan and China. And such a scenario would likely have a cataclysmic effect on the US economy should the global chip supply chain be disrupted. And Taiwan's microchip production is anchored by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, a global powerhouse. A recent report released by the Semiconductor Industry Association revealed that America's share of global chip manufacturing is set to increase to 14% by 2032. After Trump's latest remarks about Taiwan and the potential for tighter trade curbs on China, global chip stocks fell, with notable declines for Nvidia, TSMC, and Qualcomm, among others.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, CJ Muse, Cantor Fitzgerald, Trump's Organizations: Service, Bloomberg Businessweek waded, Business, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, US State Department, Financial Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Congress, China, Bloomberg, CNBC, of Commerce, BIS, of Industry, Security, Semiconductor Industry Association, Nvidia, TSMC, Qualcomm Locations: Taiwan, China, Beijing, America

☆ Global chip stocks from Nvidia to ASML fall on geopolitics, Trump comments
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Global chip stocks fell sharply, with ASML , Nvidia and TSMC posting declines amid reports of tighter export restrictions from the U.S. and a ramp-up of geopolitical tensions fueled by comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump. ASML's Netherlands-listed shares were down 11%, while Tokyo Electron shares in Japan closed nearly 7.5% lower. The moves came after Bloomberg on Wednesday reported that the Biden administration is considering a wide-sweeping rule to clamp down on companies exporting their critical chipmaking equipment to China. Washington's foreign direct product rule, or FDPR, allows the U.S. to put controls on foreign-made products even if they use the smallest amount of American technology. CNBC has reached out to the U.S. State Department, the Bureau of Industry and Security, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for comment on the report.

Persons: Donald Trump, Biden Organizations: ASML, Nvidia, ASML's, Tokyo, AMD, Marvell, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Bloomberg, CNBC, U.S . State Department, of Industry, Security, U.S . Trade Locations: U.S, ASML's Netherlands, Japan, China

☆ The U.S. needs more of this critical metal — and China owns 80% of its supply chain
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China dominates the supply chain for many of the world's critical minerals, but so far it's held off on sweeping restrictions on at least one: tungsten. Almonty claims the forthcoming mine in South Korea has the potential to produce 50% of the world's ex-China tungsten supply. "We see in the U.S., in Europe, they ask their suppliers for a China-free supply chain," said Michael Dornhofer, founder of metals consulting firm Independent Supply Business Partner. watch nowBack in January, U.S.-based research firm Macro Ops said: "We're approaching an inflection point in tungsten supply. Other non-Chinese companies in the tungsten supply chain are going to South Korea.

Persons: Lewis Black, Biden, Black, Yadong, Almonty, Michael Dornhofer, Dornhofer, Brandon Beylo, he's, Mark Seddon, Warren Buffett Organizations: Saxony Minerals, ., Getty, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Nvidia, Almonty Industries, China's Ministry of Commerce, Independent Supply, Energy, Security Holdings, European, Chinese Communist Party, U.S . Bureau of Industry, Security, Department of Commerce, CNBC, Argus, IMC, IMC Group Locations: Germany, BEIJING, China, Canada, South Korea, U.S, Europe, United States, South Korea China, North Korea, Africa, Myanmar, Daegu

☆ U.S. is reportedly weighing further limits on China's access to AI chip tech
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Sheila Chiang | In Sheilachiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. could further tighten restrictions on China's access to chip technology critical for artificial intelligence, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The Biden administration is weighing actions that would target high-tech chip architecture known as gate all-around, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. GAA refers to new transistor architecture that could lead to better performance and lower power consumption. South Korea's Samsung Electronics has already started production for 3-nanometer chips with GAA technology. Shares of TSMC and Samsung Electronics were up 1.6% and 0.4%, respectively, in Wednesday morning trading in Asia.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Bloomberg, Samsung Electronics, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, U.S . Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry, Security Locations: Asia, U.S, China

☆ DOJ charges Chinese national with operating 'world's largest botnet' that stole $5.9 billion in Covid relief funds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said it is "likely the world's largest botnet ever." The botnet hacked into over 19 million IP addresses in nearly 200 countries, the DOJ announcement said. In particular, the botnet targeted Covid relief programs and filed an estimated 560,000 false unemployment insurance claims, stealing $5.9 billion. The DOJ partnered with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies internationally to dismantle the botnet and arrest Wang. The charges come as U.S. law enforcement agencies try to update protocols to keep up with more sophisticated cybersecurity threats.

Persons: Wang, Christopher Wray, S, Axelrod, they're, Wray Organizations: US Department of Justice, Department of Justice, DOJ, Federal Bureau of, FBI, Export Enforcement, U.S . Department of Commerce's, of Industry, Security, Treasury Department, Treasury, Code, Tulip Biz, Company, Lily Suites Company Locations: Washington , DC, U.S, China

☆ China acquired recently banned Nvidia chips in Super Micro, Dell servers, tenders show
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Specifically, the servers contained some of Nvidia's most advanced chips, according to the previously unreported tenders fulfilled between Nov. 20 and Feb. 28. While the U.S. bars Nvidia and its partners from selling advanced chips to China, including via third parties, the sale and purchase of the chips are not illegal in China. Contacted by Reuters, Nvidia said the tenders specify products that were exported and widely available before the restrictions. Daniel Gerkin, a Washington-based partner at law firm Kirkland & Ellis, said Nvidia chips could have been diverted to China without a manufacturer's knowledge, given a lack of visibility into downstream supply chains. It did not respond to subsequent questions about tenders that identified its products as a source of banned Nvidia chips.

Persons: Wong Yu Liang, Daniel Gerkin, Kirkland, Ellis, Clare Locke, Gigabyte Organizations: Nvidia, Getty, Super Micro Computer Inc, Dell Technologies Inc, Gigabyte Technology, Reuters, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shandong Artificial Intelligence, Hubei Earthquake Administration, U.S, U.S . Commerce Department, Industry, Security, Super Micro, Dell Locations: China, U.S, Shandong, Hubei, Southwest, Heilongjiang, Washington

☆ Stocks making the biggest premarket moves: Target, Apple, Tesla, Microstrategy and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Check out the companies making the biggest moves in premarket trading: Target — Shares of the retailer jumped nearly 8% after a stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter report. Target generated $2.98 in earnings per share on $31.92 billion of revenue. Analysts surveyed by LSEG were looking for Target to earn $2.42 per share on $31.83 billion of revenue. Stitch Fix — Shares tumbled 13.4% a day after the online personalized styling service company reported an earnings miss for its second quarter. AeroVironment — The stock rallied nearly 18% a day after the defense company exceeded estimates for its third-quarter adjusted earnings per share and revenue.

Persons: Tesla, Microstrategy, Albemarle, GitLab, —, Jesse Pound, Lisa Han Organizations: Apple, Counterpoint Research, Reuters, Police, CNBC, Bloomberg, Department of Commerce's, of Industry, Security, Paymentus Holdings Locations: China, Berlin

☆ AMD reportedly hits U.S. regulatory roadblock for China-tailored chip
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A smartphone with a displayed AMD logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. The report said AMD designed the chip to have lower performance than its premium products in order to comply with U.S. export restrictions. But Bloomberg reported the Commerce Department did not clear the chip for sale in China because it was still too advanced. AMD will now have to obtain a license from the department's Bureau of Industry and Security, the report said. AMD and the Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment.

Persons: It's Organizations: Devices, Bloomberg, AMD, Commerce Department, department's Bureau of Industry, Security, Commerce's Bureau of Industry Locations: China, department's, U.S, Beijing

☆ U.S. export controls need to 'change constantly' even if it's tough for businesses, Secretary Raimondo says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING — More controls on tech exports to China will be coming as needed, despite business concerns, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told CNBC in an exclusive interview. "We have to change constantly," Raimondo told CNBC's Morgan Brennan over the weekend on the sidelines of the Reagan National Defense Forum. They want a clear line in the sand," the commerce secretary said. "The truth of it is though, technology changes, China changes and we have to keep up with it." In October 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security announced sweeping export controls that restrict the ability of companies to sell certain advanced computing semiconductors or related manufacturing equipment to China.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, Raimondo, CNBC's Morgan Brennan, " Raimondo, it's Organizations: . Commerce, CNBC, Reagan National Defense, U.S . Department of Commerce's, of Industry, Security Locations: BEIJING, China

☆ Nvidia will reportedly sell new chips to China that still meet U.S. rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tyrone Siu | ReutersBEIJING — U.S. chipmaking giant Nvidia has reportedly found a way to sell high-end chips to Chinese companies — while remaining compliant with U.S. rules aimed at curbing China's access to the tech. Nvidia is set to deliver three new chips to domestic manufacturers in the coming days, Chinese financial media Cailian Press said Thursday, citing sources. The chips — called HGX H20, L20 PCle and L2 PCle — are based on Nvidia's H100 chip, the report said. Nvidia said in a September 2022 filing the U.S. government would still allow it to develop the H100 in China. In the near term, Chinese manufacturers have no better option and they will continue to buy Nvidia's chips, while searching for replacements.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Bo Du, Du, SemiAnalysis, Nomura, Orin Organizations: Nvidia Corporation, Reuters, Reuters BEIJING —, Nvidia, Cailian Press, WestSummit Capital Management Companies, WestSummit Capital Management, CNBC, Times, U.S . Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry, Security Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Reuters BEIJING, China, U.S

A view of a Nvidia logo at their headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan May 31, 2023. U.S. officials asked for input in devising a "tamperproof" way to keep systems that might contain up to 256 AI chips from being strung together into a supercomputer. The other primary gift that U.S. officials gave Nvidia, Intel and AMD was hobbling their most capable Chinese competitors. New rules will make it nearly impossible for Moore Threads and Biren, two well-funded Chinese startups founded by Nvidia veterans, to have their designs manufactured using cutting-edge chipmaking technology. That means whatever Nvidia is able to sell to China will likely be Chinese buyers' best legal option.

Persons: Ann Wang, ChatGPT, Thomas Krueger, They're, Moore, Piper Sandler, Dan Hutcheson, Japan's, Clete Willems, Akin Gump, Gregory Allen, David Kanter, Stephen Nellis, Max A, Kenneth Li, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Biden, Nvidia, Intel, Devices, U.S . Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S . National Security Council, BIS, AMD, Japan's Nikon, U.S, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Real, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, China, U.S, Netherlands, Japan, San Francisco

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTAIPEI, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Taiwan's TSMC (2330.TW) said on Friday it expects to receive permission from the United States to supply its China plant with U.S. chipmaking tools indefinitely, in an easing of Washington's restrictions on foreign chipmakers operating in China. "We expect to receive a permanent authorization through the VEU process," TSMC said, noting that it did not previously need to apply for VEU status. Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said earlier on Friday that TSMC has received the waiver from the United States to supply U.S. equipment to the company's factory in China. However, the United States is continuing efforts to cut China off from top AI technology and plug gaps in export controls. The United States last year shook relations with Beijing when it unveiled new restrictions on shipments of AI chips and chipmaking tools to China, seeking to thwart its military advances.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, TSMC, Wang Mei, Biden, chipmaker, Sarah Wu, Ben Blanchard, Sonali Paul, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, REUTERS, Rights, The U.S . Department of Commerce's, of Industry and Security, Reuters, Taiwan, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Apple Inc, United, TSMC's, Thomson Locations: Rights TAIPEI, United States, China, The, KS, Nanjing, Beijing, TSMC's Taipei

At issue is RISC-V, pronounced "risk five," an open-source technology that competes with costly proprietary technology from British semiconductor and software design company Arm Holdings (O9Ty.F). RISC-V can be used as a key ingredient for anything from a smartphone chip to advanced processors for artificial intelligence. The RISC-V technology came from labs at the University of California, Berkeley, and later benefited from funding by the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Its executives said in August they believe RISC-V will speed up chip innovation and transform the tech industry. Jack Kang, vice president of business development at SiFive, a Santa Clara, California-based startup using RISC-V, said potential U.S. government restrictions on American companies regarding RISC-V would be a "tremendous tragedy."

Persons: Florence Lo, Joe Biden's, Marco Rubio, Mark Warner, Mike Gallagher, Biden, Michael McCaul, McCaul, " Rubio, Warner, Jack Kang, Kang, Kevin Wolf, Akin Gump, Barack Obama, Wolf, Max A, Cherney, Stephen Nellis, Will Dunham, Kenneth Li Organizations: REUTERS, U.S ., Arm Holdings, Republican, Democratic, Reuters, Commerce Department, People's, CCP, Chinese Communist Party, House Foreign Affairs, of Industry, Security, Commerce, University of California, Pentagon's Defense, Research Projects Agency, DARPA, HUAWEI, Huawei Technologies, Qualcomm, Google, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Beijing, People's Republic of China, Communist China, Swiss, Berkeley, United States, SiFive, Santa Clara , California, San Francisco

☆ US lawmakers press White House for tougher enforcement of China chip rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 6 (Reuters) - Two senior Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday pressed the Biden administration for tougher enforcement of export controls on sending advanced computing chips and the tools to make them to China. "The October 7 rules and SMIC’s growing capabilities reveal a stagnant, obscured bureaucracy that does not understand China’s industrial policy, does not understand China’s military goals, and does not understand technology at all - and does not have the will to act," McCaul and Gallagher said in the letter. The lawmakers urged the Biden administration to update the rules and take immediate action against Huawei and SMIC. Reuters reported this week that the Biden administration has warned China it plans to update the rules. Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence Lo, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Michael McCaul, Mike Gallagher, McCaul, Gallagher, Stephen Nellis, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . House, National, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Huawei Technologies, China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, HK, Huawei, SMIC, U.S, Reuters, National Security Council, Bureau of Industry, Security, Commerce Department, San, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, San Francisco

☆ Biden administration blacklists China firms for Moscow, Tehran drone links
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A broken window is seen after Russia launched 33 drones into the direction of Kyiv region, Ukraine on September 10, 2023. In a separate statement, the Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia sent 33 Shahed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) toward Kyiv and Ukrainian forces shot down 26 of them. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesThe Biden administration slapped fresh trade curbs on 11 Chinese and five Russian companies Monday, targeting foreign actors seen as compromising national security and drawing Beijing's ire. None of the Chinese entities cited were able to immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment. CNBC was unable to reach the spokesperson of one company for comment, while some of the companies did not have public contact details.

Persons: Biden, Hong, Alan Estevez Organizations: Ukrainian Air Force, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Asia, Technology, U.S, Commerce Department's, of Industry, Commerce, Industry, CNBC Locations: Russia, Kyiv region, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Anadolu, U.S, Hong Kong, St . Petersburg, Iran, Yemen, Washington

The difficulty of this achievement also shows the resilience of the country’s chip technological ability," TechInsights analyst Dan Hutcheson said. EUV refers to extreme ultraviolet lithography and is used to make 7 nm or more advanced chips. LIMITED ACHIEVEMENTThe most advanced chip SMIC had previously been known for making was 14nm, as it was barred by Washington in late 2020 from obtaining an EUV machine from Dutch firm ASML (ASML.AS). But TechInsights last year said it believed SMIC had managed to produce 7 nm chips by tweaking simpler DUV machines it could still purchase freely from ASML. Jefferies analysts reckon Huawei is preparing to ship ten million units of the Mate 60 Pro, though it may struggle to support that quantity with China-made 7 nm chips.

Persons: Gina Raimondo's, chipmaker SMIC, Dan Hutcheson, EUV, Jefferies, TechInsights, SMIC, Tilly Zhang, Dragonomics, Zhang, Doug Fuller, David Kirton, Max Cherney, Brenda Goh, Miyoung Kim, Nick Zieminski Organizations: FRANCISCO, Huawei Technologies, U.S, Huawei, U.S . Commerce, Kirin, HK, U.S . Commerce Department's, of Industry, Security, China, U.S . Department of Commerce, China's State Council, Reuters, Copenhagen Business School, Thomson Locations: SHENZHEN, China, California, Washington, Ottawa, U.S, China's, Netherlands

☆ U.S. Commerce Secretary says she 'didn't pull any punches' during recent visit to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo arrives for a meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao, at the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing, Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo met with Chinese officials in a high-stakes visit to Beijing and Shanghai this week, and she said Sunday that the trip helped establish open lines of communication between the two nations. Raimondo is the fourth high-level U.S. official to visit China this summer, but she is the first U.S. Commerce secretary to travel to the country in five years — a period where the bilateral relationship has grown increasingly tense. The Commerce secretary's trip to China followed recent visits from U.S. special envoy for climate John Kerry, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Raimondo said Sunday that the export controls are about national security, not about gaining an economic advantage.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, Wang Wentao, Raimondo, NBC's, John Kerry, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken Organizations: Commerce, Ministry of Commerce, . Commerce, U.S . Commerce, China, Press, U.S, Treasury, U.S . Department of Commerce's, of Industry, Security, Sunday Locations: Beijing, Shanghai, China, U.S

Andy Wong | Afp | Getty ImagesBEIJING — U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has called on China to improve the predictability of the business environment for American companies in the country. "There's an appetite certainly for U.S. business to continue to do business in China," she said, adding however that "It's an unlevel playing field for U.S. business. Foreign companies in China have long complained about market access challenges including forced tech transfers and preferential treatment for local companies, especially state-owned enterprises. Gina Raimondo U.S. Commerce SecretaryThe updated law is of "great concern" to U.S. companies, Raimondo said. Foreign business organizations have noted improvements over the years in China's protection of intellectual property.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, China Nick Burns, Premier Li Qiang, Andy Wong, Raimondo, CNBC's Eunice Yoon, Biden, Stephen Olson Hinrich, Stephen Olson Organizations: Premier, of, People, Afp, Getty, U.S . Commerce, U.S, Trump, U.S . Department of Commerce's, of Industry, Security, Commerce, CNBC, Foundation, Biden, Boeing, Bloomberg Locations: China, Beijing, BEIJING, U.S, Shanghai, America, The U.S

WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The Biden administration has tightened controls on the export of materials and components for nuclear power plants to China, saying it would ensure the items were used only for peaceful purposes and not the proliferation of atomic weapons. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the federal agency responsible for nuclear energy safety, also requires exporters to get specific licenses to export special nuclear material and source material. That includes different types of uranium as well as deuterium, a hydrogen isotope that, in large amounts, could be used in reactors to make tritium, a nuclear weapons component. China opposes "putting geopolitical interests above nuclear non-proliferation efforts," he said. Two exports to China of the regulated nuclear materials occurred under a general license in the last year.

Persons: Biden, Liu Pengyu, Edwin Lyman, Henry Sokolski, Donald Trump's, Timothy Gardner, Michael Martina, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Industry and Security, Commerce Department, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, U.S, Nuclear Weapons, Union of, Pentagon, Nonproliferation, Education Center . U.S, Westinghouse, Thomson Locations: China, Washington, Beijing, U.S, United States

☆ U.S. blacklists two firms that built Meta, iOS and Android spyware
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Commerce Department blacklisted two European cyber firms that build spyware software, the Commerce Department announced Tuesday, including technology hawked by both firms that was used to surveil Meta users and reportedly at least one Meta employee. The software exploited vulnerabilities in Android and iOS software and deployed hundreds of spoof Meta accounts to surveil activists, politicians and journalists around the world. Meta in December 2021 warned thousands of Facebook users that they'd been targeted by spyware-for-hire software, including Predator. The New York Times reported extensively on Intellexa's Predator product, and the company's efforts to sell it to a Ukrainian intelligence agency. Intellexa's Predator was also used by Greek intelligence to spy on a Meta trust and safety employee, the Times reported.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, —, Cytrox —, they'd, Tal Dilian, Intellexa, Biden, Trump Organizations: Commerce, The Commerce Department, Commerce Department, Industry, Security, Citizen Lab, Export, Meta, Facebook, Israel Defense Forces, The New York Times, Times, Huawei Locations: Davos, Switzerland, Greece, Ireland, Hungary, North Macedonia, Ukrainian

☆ The tiny government agency behind a Chinese A.I. chip ban that's weighing on Nvidia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As reports swirl about potential U.S. limits on semiconductor exports to China, a small division within the sprawling Commerce Department is taking on an outsized role. Nvidia warned in August 2022 that around $400 million in potential Chinese sales would be lost unless customers purchased "alternative product offerings." Just a few months later, Nvidia began to offer a watered-down version of its flagship AI chip for the Chinese market. Dubbed the A800, its lower-end specifications exempted it from Commerce Department licensing requirements. Through its Commerce Control List, the BIS can define which product specifications require licenses to be sold overseas.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, Biden Organizations: Commerce, Justice, Science, Capitol, Washington , D.C, Commerce Department, Industry, Security, BIS, Nvidia, Biden, Street, Control, AMD, Seagate, Huawei Locations: Washington ,, China

But Nvidia has created variants of its chips for the Chinese market that are slowed down to meet U.S. rules. Even the slowed Nvidia chips represent an improvement for Chinese firms. The back-and-forth between government and industry exposes the U.S. challenge of slowing China's progress in high tech without hurting U.S. companies. Chip industry sources said that was an effective action. Some in the AI industry believe that is still plenty of speed.

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