US Expands Export Control List to Restrict Military Technology Access
The United States has added 80 companies and research institutes from Pakistan, China, Iran, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Taiwan to its export control list, citing concerns over potential misuse of American technology for military purposes. The Commerce Department announced the move on Tuesday, aiming to prevent US goods and technologies from being diverted to missile programs and other defense-related activities.
According to a *New York Times* report, the Trump administration placed 54 Chinese entities on the Commerce Department’s Entity List, along with more than two dozen from the other five countries. The listed entities were accused of supporting Pakistan’s nuclear and missile programs, advancing China’s quantum computing and hypersonic weapons development, and attempting to bypass US sanctions on Iran.
Among the blacklisted firms were six subsidiaries of China’s Inspur Group, a major cloud computing and big data company, for allegedly aiding the Chinese military in developing supercomputers. Five of these subsidiaries are based in China, while one operates in Taiwan. Inspur Group itself was added to the Entity List in 2023. The Commerce Department stated that these restrictions aim to curb China’s progress in high-performance computing, quantum technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and hypersonic weapons.
The Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence was also included in the sanctions. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick emphasized, **”We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives.”**
Under Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey Kessler added that the measures seek to prevent US technology from being used in high-performance computing, hypersonic missile development, military aircraft training, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which could pose national security risks.
China Condemns US Move
China’s Foreign Ministry condemned the sanctions, vowing to take necessary steps to protect its companies’ interests. The Commerce Ministry criticized the decision, stating that it **”undermines the atmosphere for resolving issues through dialogue and cooperation.”**
The Chinese Embassy in Washington also denounced the restrictions, calling them **”unjustified”** and demanding that the US **”stop politicizing and weaponizing trade and technology issues under the pretext of military concerns.”**
Impact on Iran and Other Nations
The expanded Entity List also targets firms involved in Iran’s drone procurement, ballistic missile program, and nuclear activities. The US aims to disrupt Tehran’s access to critical defense-related technologies.
Companies placed on the Entity List face strict export controls, requiring special licenses—likely to be denied—for any US technology transactions. The move underscores Washington’s strategy of using trade restrictions to counter perceived military threats from adversarial nations.
