Rep. Moolenaar: Loopholes in US Chip Export Controls

A game of whack-a-mole between the U.S. and China. Congressman John Mulanar said he's found loopholes in Washington's new microchip export controls to China and he's asking the Commerce Secretary to close them. The Biden administration announced the new rules on Monday. The goal is to stem the flow of U.S. semiconductor technology to China so that Beijing is unable to use it to advance its own military. Though there are some loopholes. In a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Mulanar wrote that even though one Chinese company supplying microchips to tech giant Huawei has been blacklisted, others were granted exceptions, allowing them to continue to get certain types of U.S. technology. Meaning Huawei could still get its hands on chips made with certain U.S. technology. Huawei is Beijing's national champion in the semiconductor race. It's been blacklisted by Washington. Mulanar also added that no action was taken against Tianxing Memory Technologies, a firm poised to become a leader in developing a key semiconductor technology. Semiconductors are at the heart of U.S.-China competition. The tiny devices make up the foundation for all other technology, including advanced know-how like A.I. and quantum computing. Microchips also power our modern life, from iPhones to cars to home appliances. Plus military gear and even missiles. Mulanar has asked Raimondo to close these gaps as quickly as possible. NTD reached out to the Commerce Department for comment, but did not hear back before airtime.