Biden Administration Plans to Limit Chinese Access to US Cloud Computing Services
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration is gearing up to impose restrictions on Chinese companies’ utilization of US cloud computing services. Anonymous sources familiar with the matter revealed that the proposed rule would likely necessitate US cloud service providers, including Amazon and Microsoft, to obtain permission from the US government before offering cloud computing services to Chinese customers that employ advanced artificial intelligence chips.
The US Department of Commerce is expected to implement this restriction in the upcoming weeks as part of the 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 the matter.
In response to the ongoing dispute with the US over access to high-tech microchips, China announced on Monday that it would enforce export controls on certain metals extensively used in the semiconductor industry. These controls, aimed at safeguarding national security and Chinese interests, will require exporters to obtain permission for shipping gallium and germanium products.