China’s commerce ministry has proposed tighter export controls on 40 key technologies, including artificial intelligence, solar power and biomedical science, citing security risks.
Beijing wants to ban exports of 14 of those technologies outright, while the other 26 would require ministry approval before they could be transferred abroad.
The measures have not yet been formally adopted, but since the proposal was published on Friday, companies have been required to declare exports involving the technologies concerned.
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The rules would also apply to the sale of intellectual property rights and the granting of licences to foreign entities. The ministry said the restrictions are not aimed at specific countries or companies.
The main focus is on 23 AI-related technologies, including methods used for large AI models and AI agents.
The proposed controls would also cover manufacturing processes for solar cells, as well as techniques used in cell and gene therapy. Access to AI services would remain exempt.
The ministry said the tighter rules were needed because of security concerns. It warned that AI could be used in attacks on critical infrastructure, while solar cell technology is increasingly being applied in space and defence.
Last year, Beijing also imposed restrictions on certain processes used in the production of battery materials and in lithium extraction.
Since then, China has also applied controls to some rare earth elements and related products.
