In October, the Department of Commerce announced new rules designed limit China’s access to advanced microchips and semiconductors. Lawfare has an explainer that lays out its most important parts and the changes it makes to current policy.
First, it imposes new controls targeting chips above certain performance thresholds, computer commodities containing those chips, and so-called supercomputers. Second, it imposes new controls targeting the items used to manufacture those chips and on end-user controls that govern the activity of U.S. persons potentially supporting the development of chips destined for military use. Third, it establishes measures to minimize the short-term effects of the first two on supply chains.