China moves to curb tech exports, including AI, citing national security risks

China has announced plans to restrict or ban the export of 40 technologies, including artificial intelligence, chips, and solar power, to address national security concerns. The move was outlined in a draft document jointly published by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Science and Technology. The proposal cites national security as the primary reason for the restrictions.

Twenty-three AI technologies, ranging from advanced large models to agents, are included in the list, along with chip design technologies and twelve solar power-related technologies. The restrictions could affect AI models with parameter counts of 2 trillion or above, as well as AI agents designed for sensitive environments such as national defense and critical information infrastructure.

This response from China comes amid growing tensions with the United States, particularly in the areas of AI safety and governance. Both countries have made progress in dialogues, and a notification mechanism for AI incidents that could threaten national security has been established. Recent U.S. restrictions on the export of advanced technologies to China have limited access to cutting-edge AI chips and chipmaking machines.

Chinese AI models such as Moonshot's Kimi K3 and Alibaba's Qwen 3.8-Max, which have parameter counts exceeding 2 trillion, are among those that could be subject to the proposed restrictions.