China proposed restrictions on 40 technology exports, including 23 AI-related areas, citing national security as U.S.-China technology competition intensifies.
China has proposed adding 40 technologies to its catalog of exports that may be prohibited or restricted, widening trade controls across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, solar power and biomedicine. The draft was jointly published on October 16 by the country’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology. The commerce ministry said the measures were necessary for national security; the proposal has not yet taken effect.
Twenty-three listed technologies relate to AI, spanning advanced large models and agents. The draft would prohibit exports of core technologies behind large models trained on sensitive national data and restrict agents intended for sensitive environments such as national defense and critical information infrastructure. It could also restrict models with at least two trillion parameters or certain world-leading capabilities, though the document did not name specific systems. Several chip-design technologies, including those for AI processors and memory, are also covered.
The proposal arrives amid U.S.-led restrictions that have limited China’s access to some advanced AI chips and the equipment used to manufacture them. It also comes as the two governments have made progress in discussions about AI safety and governance, including a proposed mechanism for notifying one another about AI incidents that could threaten national security.
If adopted, the rules could affect how Chinese firms license or transfer AI capabilities and chip-design know-how across borders. The scope matters beyond model weights: the draft covers underlying technologies and specialized agents, potentially reaching parts of the research and industrial ecosystem that support advanced AI. Twelve solar-related technologies and five biomedicine technologies are included as well, underscoring that the proposal is broader than an AI-only measure. Its practical impact will depend on the final wording and implementation. For now, the announcement is a proposed policy, not a blanket ban already in force.