The Bureau of Industry and Security of the US Department of Commerce has added 27 companies to its list of entities barred from doing business with the US, including numerous Chinese firms involved in quantum computing.
According to the Financial Times, the corporations were barred because they posed a threat to national security.
Eight Chinese enterprises have been singled out for special attention to prevent them from gaining access to critical quantum technologies, with the Department accusing the firms of assisting in the development of the Chinese military’s quantum computing program. According to reports, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said the eight Chinese companies are aiming to enhance Beijing’s “efforts to assist military applications, such as counter-stealth and counter-submarine technologies, as well as the ability to crack or produce unbreakable encryption.” The addition of the 27 companies to the prohibition list, according to the Financial Times, is the latest attempt by the Biden administration to prevent Beijing from obtaining cutting-edge technology that could have military implications.
According to Martijn Rasser, a former US official, “this is a prudent measure and a vital reminder of the extent and size of China’s efforts to obtain technology breakthroughs that degrade US national security.” In addition to the Chinese entities, Washington has placed 13 Pakistani corporations, as well as firms from Japan and Singapore, on the “entity list” for operations related to nuclear and ballistic missile programs.