The Ministry of Commerce Photo: VCG

Asked to comment on the US Department of Commerce's move to change a relevant wording in its May 12 press release on AI chip export control guidance from "using Huawei Ascend chips anywhere in the world violates US export controls" to "alerting industry to the risks of using [China] advanced computing ICs, including specific Huawei Ascend chips," a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Monday that China has made clear its firm stance on the issue at a press conference on Thursday.

Following the release of the US guidance, China raised concerns through the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism at various levels, stressing that the move seriously undermined the consensus reached at the recent high-level China-US talks in Geneva and urging the US to correct its mistakes. While noting recent changes in the wording of the US press release, the MOFCOM spokesperson said that the discriminatory and market-distorting nature of the guidance remains unchanged.

The US is abusing export controls by tightening restrictions on Chinese chips based on groundless accusations, even interfering with how Chinese companies use domestically made chips within China. Such overreach is a typical act of unilateral bullying, which China firmly opposes, the spokesperson said.

The US' actions severely undermine the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms, threaten the stability of global semiconductor supply chains, and hinder global innovation. "Tripping others won't make you run faster," the spokesperson said, warning that unilateral protectionist attempts to contain or isolate other countries will ultimately weaken the US' own industrial competitiveness and backfire.

China urges the US to immediately correct its wrongful practices and stop discriminatory measures against China. Both sides should jointly uphold the consensus reached during the high-level talks in Geneva, enhance communication through mechanisms such as the China-US economic and trade consultation mechanism, manage differences effectively, address respective concerns through consultation, and work toward building a sustainable, long-term, and mutually beneficial bilateral economic and trade relationship. If the US insists on going its own way and continues to substantially harm China's interests, China will definitely take resolute measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests, the spokesperson said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Lin Jian also said on Friday that  the US overstretches the concept of national security, abuses export controls and long-arm jurisdiction, and groundlessly and maliciously blocks and suppresses China's chips and AI industry, which severely violates market rules, destabilizes global industrial and supply chains, and undermines Chinese businesses' legitimate rights and interests. 

China firmly opposes this and absolutely does not accept it. China urges the US to drop its protectionist acts and unilateral bullying, and stop its egregious suppression on China's tech businesses and AI industry. China will take firm measures to defend its right to development and Chinese businesses' legitimate rights and interests, Lin said.

Global Times