1. U.S. Department of Commerce blocks Huawei from receiving semiconductors from Intel and Qualcomm
2. Pressure on Huawei from U.S. government due to national security concerns and ties to Chinese government
3. Biden administration responds to Republican lawmakers’ concerns by revoking licenses allowing chip shipments to Huawei
The U.S. Department of Commerce has blocked Huawei, a Chinese tech giant, from receiving certain semiconductors from Intel and Qualcomm due to national security concerns. This move represents a new level of pressure on Huawei, which has been deemed a potential threat to U.S. national security because of its ties to the Chinese government. The timing is significant, as the companies were notified on the same day as Apple’s iPad event and the release of Huawei’s MateBook X Pro, which is hailed as a potential rival to the MacBook Air M3, featuring AI technology.
Republican lawmakers have criticized U.S. companies for shipping their latest laptop chips to China, with Representative Michael Gallagher questioning the Department of Commerce’s decision to allow this. In response to the outcry, the Biden administration has revoked licenses that allowed Intel and Qualcomm to supply chips to Huawei. This action comes after Huawei was placed on the U.S. Entity List in 2019 due to concerns about its activities conflicting with U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
The U.S. Department of Commerce has confirmed the revocation of certain licenses for exports to Huawei, but has not disclosed which companies are affected. Media outlets, including Tom’s Guide, have reached out to Huawei for comment, but have not received a response. This development underscores the ongoing tension between the U.S. government and Chinese tech companies over national security and foreign policy issues.