China is poised to pass a new law that would restrict sensitive exports vital to national security, expanding its toolkit of policy options as competition with the United States grows for access to technologies that will power the modern economy.
China’s highest legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, is expected to adopt the measure in a session ending on Saturday. The Export Control Law is primarily intended to protect China’s national security by regulating the export of sensitive materials and technologies that appear on a control list. It would apply to all companies in China, including foreign investment companies.
The move would add to Beijing’s regulatory arsenal, which also includes a catalog of technology export restrictions and a list of dodgy entities. The law would also help put China on a similar base to that of the United States, which regularly uses export controls and licenses strategically against its adversaries.
The rising tensions between China and the US have spilled over into the realm of technology. Large Chinese companies, including Huawei Technologies, ByteDance’s TikTok, Tencent’s WeChat and Semiconductor Manufacturing International, are in Washington’s sights.
“The Chinese authorities may have learned a lesson from the United States and other countries,” said Qing Ren, a partner at the Global Law Office in Beijing.
A report by the official Xinhua news agency said the bill stipulates that China could take reciprocal action against a certain country or region that has “abused export control measures and damaged China’s national security and interests. “.
Tech Central
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