chip Photo:VCG

　　A US House committee focused on foreign affairs approved bipartisan legislation Wednesday that calls for arms-sale style congressional oversight of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chip exports, Bloomberg reported. A Chinese expert said that the US move is another attempt to curb the development of China’s AI industry, reflecting its increasingly anxious about China’s progress in high-tech sectors.

　　According to Bloomberg, under the legislation, the administration would be required to notify Congress of advanced AI chip sales before they’re approved, giving lawmakers the power to review and block export licenses to China, Russia, Iran, and other so-called adversaries through a joint resolution. Beyond oversight, the text endorsed by the panel’s Republicans and Democrats would outright ban sales of Nvidia’s more advanced Blackwell chips to China for at least two years, codifying existing export controls into law.

　　“This move is yet another attempt to curb the development of China’s chip industry, with its consistent ‘small yard, high fence’ policy,” Ma Jihua, a veteran telecom industry analyst, told the Global Times on Thursday, noting that it also reflected that the US is becoming increasingly anxious about China’s progress in AI and other high-tech fields.

　　Bloomberg said that the bill marks a response to US administration’s decision last month to ease longstanding export controls on China. US’ approval for Nvidia’s H200 sales to Chinese customers was formalized by a new rule issued last week by the Commerce Department.