Top Republican pushes US to block advanced AI chips from sanctioned Chinese firms

A senior U.S. lawmaker has pressed the administration to enforce rigorous export controls on semiconductor shipments, warning that regulatory loopholes could allow restricted entities to acquire high-end hardware critical for artificial intelligence and military development.

As reported by Reuters, John Moolenaar, who heads the House Select Committee on China, called on commerce and trade officials to ensure that major chip manufacturers and intermediaries closely scrutinize purchasing orders.

The intervention aims to block untrusted Chinese firms or front companies from exploiting compliance gaps to secure advanced logic and memory semiconductors.

The push underscores ongoing bipartisan anxiety in Washington regarding enforcement vulnerabilities.

Lawmakers continue to urge federal agencies to close circumvention routes including unauthorized third-party shipments and cloud-based rentals to safeguard America's technological edge in the global AI race.

In January 2025, the Biden administration unveiled a new rule requiring chip manufacturers to scrutinize orders of advanced chips from companies that could be serving as a front for untrusted firms from China and other countries.

Soon after President Donald Trump took office, though, his administration announced it did not plan to enforce another Biden-era chip regulation referenced in the manufacturer rule, fueling uncertainty about the enforcement of that measure.

In a letter dated Thursday, Moolenaar described the measure as "a critical step in preventing China from accessing high-end U.S. chips and preserving America’s technological edge," urging the Commerce Department to enforce it.