China has proposed adding 40 technologies spanning artificial intelligence, biomedicine and solar power to its export-control catalogue, a move that could tighten oversight of sensitive know-how amid intensifying competition with the United States.
The draft, announced jointly by China’s commerce and science ministries on October 16, covers 23 AI technologies, including large models, intelligent agents and computing clusters, alongside technologies related to chip design, cell and gene therapies, and solar manufacturing. Fourteen technologies are proposed for an export ban, while 26 would face restrictions, according to reporting on the draft. The proposal is open for public comment until November 15, but China has also introduced interim pre-export registration for transfers involving the listed technologies while the review is underway.
The ministries say the changes respond to expanding uses of these technologies in sensitive areas and are not aimed at any particular country or entity. Technologies already in the public domain through open-source releases or academic papers are excluded, according to the proposal’s reporting. The move comes as Beijing and Washington compete over advanced technologies, while both governments use export controls to protect strategic capabilities; the proposal’s final scope could change after consultation.