According to the Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration is making preparations to limit Chinese companies’ access to US cloud computing services. If adopted, the new rule would require US cloud service providers like Amazon and Microsoft to obtain permission from the US government before offering cloud computing services to Chinese customers that utilize advanced artificial intelligence chips.
The US Department of Commerce is expected to implement this restriction in the upcoming weeks as an expansion of its semiconductor export control policy, which was introduced in October. At present, there has been no response from the Commerce Department, Microsoft, or Amazon regarding this matter.
In response to the US’s actions, China has announced that it will enforce controls on the export of certain metals widely used in the semiconductor industry. The goal of these controls, according to China, is to safeguard national security and protect its interests. Exporters will be required to obtain permission before shipping specific gallium and germanium products.
