China tech faces fresh scrutiny as US blacklist bill introduced, Lenovo case emerges

China's technology sector is facing increased scrutiny from the United States as lawmakers introduce a bill to broaden the range of products that can be placed on a trade blacklist. The Communications and Technology Transparency Act, proposed by Congressmen Frank Pallone and Brett Guthrie, would expand the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Covered List from "communications equipment or service" to the broader category of "information and communications technology or service" (ICTS).

This would prevent the legal import, marketing, or sale of ICTS products in the US. The bill also seeks to streamline the process for barring products and clarify the method for determining what is considered malicious technology or equipment, with the Covered List to be updated at least once every six months. Meanwhile, Lenovo Group has been drawn into a patent dispute involving memory devices, with the US International Trade Commission launching a Section 337 investigation into certain DDR5 memory modules and downstream products.

The investigation, which could lead to the exclusion of the products from the American market, involves Lenovo, Micron Technology, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Super Micro Computer.

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