WASHINGTON – The United States government is preparing to place several major Chinese chipmakers on its export blacklist (Entity List).

The move would prevent these companies from accessing US-origin technologies and products unless granted a special licence, which is rarely approved.

The initiative, led by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under the US Department of Commerce, targets large firms such as ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), subsidiaries of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC).

This decision marks a fresh flashpoint in the ongoing technological rivalry between the world’s two largest economies.

While both the White House and the Commerce Department declined to comment, internal sources indicated that the move underscores internal US debates between advocates of economic diplomacy and those prioritising national security.

CXMT has come under particular scrutiny due to its rapid expansion in the global DRAM market and its progress in developing high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a key technology for artificial intelligence (AI).

US defence and intelligence officials fear that China’s advances in semiconductors may support the development of hypersonic missiles and nuclear weapons modelling.

The move coincides with a newly negotiated trade agreement between the US and China that temporarily lowers tariffs for 90 days as part of ongoing negotiations in Geneva.

However, the proposed restrictions could derail this fragile diplomatic progress.

According to the Financial Times, a spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington on Friday (16/5) said that China strongly opposes the US misuse of national security concepts and the use of export controls to unfairly suppress and hinder China’s development.

Previously, in January 2025, the Biden administration added more than 20 Chinese entities to the blacklist, including Zhipu AI and Sophgo, over allegations they supported Huawei in chip development.

The US government has also tightened chip export rules to prevent its technologies from being used in ways deemed contrary to national interests. (EF/ZH)