[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] The Biden administration in the United States is set to announce new measures soon to restrict the export of high-performance computing (HPC) technology, which is essential for advanced science, technology, and weapons development, to China.
On the 3rd (local time), the New York Times (NYT) cited multiple sources familiar with the matter, reporting that the U.S. government plans to impose "Huawei-style sanctions" targeting Chinese companies and government research institutes using HPC.
The NYT added that this measure related to HPC technology, necessary for China’s next-generation weapons development and large-scale automated population surveillance systems, could be announced as early as this week.
The NYT evaluated that this measure would be the most comprehensive and stringent sanction imposed by the Biden administration to block China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology.
Once a contender for the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, Chinese company Huawei suffered a critical blow in 2020 due to the U.S. application of the Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR).
The FDPR prohibits exports if U.S.-origin software, equipment, or technology is used in products made abroad, which severely impacted Chinese companies. The NYT reported that many Chinese companies and institutions using supercomputers are expected to face similar sanctions.
The Biden administration is also expected to control the sale of the latest U.S.-made equipment to China’s domestic semiconductor industry.
Sources said there are plans to restrict exports of U.S.-made semiconductors used in supercomputers and data center projects to China.
These restrictions could hinder Chinese internet companies such as Alibaba and Tencent, as well as major academic institutions, from securing components necessary for building data centers and supercomputers. The NYT forecasted that such measures could seriously impede China’s technological innovation in various fields, including life sciences, artificial intelligence (AI), and missile engineering.
The White House declined to comment on this report, and a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said there is nothing to confirm at this time.
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has faced criticism from the U.S. and other Western countries for using supercomputers to strengthen surveillance systems targeting ethnic minorities such as the Xinjiang Uighurs, conduct simulated nuclear tests, and develop advanced weapons capable of neutralizing U.S. air defense systems.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
