The U.S. is not using its export controls for “economic protectionism” and is committed to a narrow, “targeted” approach to restrictions on advanced technologies, Bureau of Industry and Security Undersecretary Alan Estevez said in Japan last week. “We are laser focused on national security, and the controls we put in place are focused on select advanced technologies that have strategic applications,” Estevez said during the Mount Fuji Dialogue, an annual summit of U.S. and Japanese representatives. “We are strictly adhering to the small yard, high fence concept in applying our export controls.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security revoked the export privileges of a Georgia resident after she admitted to trying to illegally export about $25,000 worth of optical sighting devices from the U.S. to China. As part of a settlement agreement, Dina Zhu of Lawrenceville, Georgia, will be barred from participating in any transaction subject to the Export Administration Regulations for one year from Oct. 20, but she won’t face a fine.
The U.S. government has informed American chip designer Nvidia that several of its products are subject to the new export controls unveiled by the Bureau of Industry and Security last week despite BIS saying the rules wouldn’t take effect until next month.
The U.S. should "lift" its newest semiconductor export controls on China "as soon as possible," China's Ministry of Commerce said Oct. 18, according to an unofficial translation. The ministry said the moves abuse export control measures, "generalize the concept of national security" and are "unilateral bullying." The country "will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests." The new controls were announced in two rules by the Bureau of Industry and Security this week (see 2310170055).
The Bureau of Industry and Security sent a proposed rule for interagency review that could make clarifications and updates to the Defense Priorities and Allocations System Regulation, which is used to prioritize certain defense-related contracts and orders. BIS sent the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Oct. 17.
The Commerce Department’s long-awaited routed export rule continues to face delays due to a lack of agency resources and attention, said Gerry Horner, chief of the Census Bureau’s Trade Regulations Branch. Horner said both Census and the Bureau of Industry and Security currently “just don't have the resources” to make progress on the effort.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on Oct. 18 placed its two new China chip export control rules on public inspection for publication in the Federal Register, which set the effective dates for both rules (see 2310170055).
The Bureau of Industry and Security added 13 Chinese entities to the Entity List that are involved in developing advanced computing semiconductors that may be used for activities that threaten U.S. national security, the agency announced this week. Each of the entities will be subject to license requirements for all items subject to the Export Administration Regulations, including BIS foreign direct product rule restrictions. Licenses will be reviewed under a presumption of denial.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week released a range of updates to its Oct. 7, 2022, China chip controls, unveiling two rules that will impose new license requirements on additional chips and chipmaking tools, make revisions to its U.S. persons restrictions, expand licensing requirements for exports of certain chipmaking items to U.S. arms-embargoed countries, create a new notification requirement and introduce other measures to address export control circumvention risks.
The Bureau of Industry and Security last week completed a round of interagency review for an interim final rule that could update U.S. export controls on semiconductor manufacturing items. The rule underwent some changes during interagency review, which began Oct. 4 and was completed Oct. 13 (see 2310050015). The rule is distinct from the upcoming BIS rule that will finalize its Oct. 7, 2022, chip controls related to China (see 2310110030).