The Bureau of Industry and Security on Aug. 26 issued a temporary denial order barring a Belgian company and its owner for fraudulently attempting to acquire accelerometers from the U.S. on behalf of prohibited end-users in China. BIS said it suspended export privileges for Knokke-Heist Support Corporation Management (also known as Hasa-Invest) and Hans De Geetere after their “false statements made to U.S. companies to obtain the items” raised “significant concerns of future violations.”
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs completed an interagency review of a Bureau of Industry and Security prerule that could lead to new emerging technology export controls (see 2208020009) on “instruments for the automated chemical synthesis of peptides.” The proposed rule, which was mentioned in the agency’s spring regulatory agenda (see 2206270007), would seek public comments on the controls and help BIS determine whether the instruments could provide the U.S. or its adversaries a “qualitative military or intelligence advantage.” OIRA completed its review on Aug 26.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is updating its website and Defense Export Control and Compliance System (DECCS) to reflect the International Traffic in Arms Regulations reorganization that takes effect Sept. 6 (see 2203220013), DDTC said. Updates are being made “on a rolling basis,” with the changes to the DDTC website expected to be “completed and updated” no later than Sept. 9, the agency said. Effective Sept. 6, “all DECCS applications (Registration, Licensing, Advisory Opinions, and Commodity Jurisdictions) will reflect the revised ITAR citations,” it said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security last week revoked the export privileges for five people after they illegally exported defense equipment from the U.S., including two for shipping thermal devices to Russia.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has prevented more than 100 illegal exports to Russia and Belarus and detained or seized $93 million worth of shipments since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February, the agency said in an Aug. 25 news release. It also said it has expedited license approvals for more than $1 billion in defense equipment and services for Ukraine and has added 335 parties to its Entity List for supporting Russia’s military during that same time period.
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The Bureau of Industry and Security added seven Chinese entities to its Entity List for acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S. technology to support China’s “military modernization efforts.” All the entities -- which include six research institutes connected to China Electronics Technology Group, one of the country’s largest electronics companies -- will require a license for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations. BIS will review license applications under a policy of presumption of denial. The additions took effect Aug. 24.
The Bureau of Industry and Security will add seven Chinese entities to its Entity List this week for acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S. technology to aid China’s military. All the entities will require a license for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations. BIS will review license applications under a policy of presumption of denial. The additions take effect Aug. 24.
China’s announcement this summer that it made progress in its chip technology doesn't necessarily mean there was a failure in U.S. export control policy, said Bill Reinsch, a senior export administration official during the Bill Clinton administration. Reinsch said it’s unclear if China’s new chip even exists and where Beijing received the equipment to produce it.
Congress should revise export control laws to ensure “naive bureaucrats” don’t prioritize commercial sales over national security, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said this week. Rubio, referencing a Wall Street Journal report that said the U.S. approved 94% of license applications for technology exports to China in 2020, said the numbers show that “President Biden refuses to take the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party seriously" and that “the situation is growing worse."