Beijing pledges to safeguard itself from US economic ‘bullying’

(MENAFN) China's Ministry of Commerce has vowed to take "necessary measures" to defend its interests following the US imposition of stringent export controls aimed at undermining China's semiconductor industry. On Monday, the US Department of Commerce announced a ban on the export of 24 types of chip-making equipment, three software programs, and high-bandwidth memory to China. Additionally, 140 Chinese entities, including semiconductor manufacturers and investment firms, were added to the US blacklist for their involvement in the sector.

The US government justified the measures by citing concerns that Chinese semiconductors could be used in advanced weapon systems and artificial intelligence, posing a threat to US national security. In response, China condemned the actions as economic coercion and "unilateral bullying," arguing that they violate free and open trade. A Chinese spokesperson emphasized that such unilateral measures disrupt global supply chains and hurt international trade.

China’s semiconductor industry has been targeted by previous US administrations. Despite these efforts, China's top chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), has managed to produce chips on par with Western standards, even without access to some of the most advanced manufacturing tools, following restrictions from Washington's allies in the Netherlands and Japan.

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