Key points
- Companies from China, UAE, South Africa, Taiwan and Pakistan targeted
- US aims to disrupt “Iran’s procurement of UAVs and related defence items”
- Also aims to impair development of “unsafeguarded nuclear activities”
ISLAMABAD: The US has imposed export restrictions on 70 companies from China, UAE, South Africa, Taiwan and Pakistan.
Fresh restrictions may draw retaliation from the countries.
The US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security alleged that the entities were enlisted for activities contrary to US national security and foreign policy.
A statement issued by the department said the measures aim to “Restrict the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ability to acquire and develop high-performance and exascale computing capabilities, as well as quantum technologies, for military applications.
The ban’s objectives include “impeding China’s development of its hypersonic weapons program, preventing entities associated with the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA) from using US items to train Chinese military forces and disrupt Iran’s procurement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related defence items”.
“Unsafeguarded nuclear activities”
The US also aims to “Impair the development of unsafeguarded nuclear activities and ballistic missile program”.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick defended the restrictions in a statement and said they were meant to restrict US adversaries from acquiring crucial technologies.
“Under the strong leadership of President Donald Trump, the Commerce Department is taking decisive action to protect America. We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives,” he said.
“We are committed to using every tool at the Department’s disposal to ensure our most advanced technologies stay out of the hands of those who seek to harm Americans. At the same time, we will continue to drive American innovation, ensuring that our nation’s economic strength remains unparalleled.”
American technology
He said American technology should never be used against the American people.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey I Kessler said, “BIS is sending a clear, resounding message that the Trump administration will work tirelessly to safeguard our national security by preventing US technologies and goods from being misused for high performance computing, hypersonic missiles, military aircraft training, and UAVs that threaten our national security.”
