Commerce Adds Seven Chinese Super-computing Entities to List Restricting Export or Transfer of Technologies Contrary to National Security or US Foreign Policy Interests

Advanced nuclear weapons are at the core of the issue here.

The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) today has added seven Chinese super-computing entities to the so-called Entity List for conducting activities that are contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.

US automakers have transferred significant amounts of technology and intellectual capital as the price of access to the world’s largest auto market, but thus far the industry has escaped sanctions, albeit with some mild criticism over the loss of jobs.

Today’s final rule adds Tianjin Phytium Information Technology, Shanghai High-Performance Integrated Circuit Design Center, Sunway Microelectronics, the National Supercomputing Center Jinan, the National Supercomputing Center Shenzhen, the National Supercomputing Center Wuxi, and the National Supercomputing Center Zhengzhou. These entities are involved with building supercomputers used by China’s military actors, its destabilizing military modernization efforts, and/or weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The full list of entities is included in the rule is in the Federal Register.

“Super-computing capabilities are vital for the development of many – perhaps almost all – modern weapons and national security systems, such as nuclear weapons and hypersonic weapons. The Department of Commerce will use the full extent of its authorities to prevent China from leveraging U.S. technologies to support these destabilizing military modernization efforts,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.

The Entity List is a tool used by BIS to restrict the export, re-export, and in-country transfer of items subject to the EAR to persons (individuals, organizations, companies) “reasonably believed to be involved, have been involved, or pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. Additional license requirements apply to exports, re-exports, and in-country transfers of items subject to the EAR to listed entities, and the availability of most license exceptions is limited.”