#FutureofBIS

Next Recommendation in BIS Agenda Series: Publish Emerging and Foundational Technology Lists

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Today, China Tech Threat released the second in a series of policy recommendations meant to help leaders at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) prevent adversaries from acquiring and weaponizing sensitive U.S.-made technologies. BIS Agenda Recommendation 2: Within 90 days of starting, the new BIS Director should publish Congress’ required lists of emerging and foundational technologies. The globalized world enables a relative free movement of goods and services, but this also allows the proliferation of weapons and items to be used for hostile purposes. Countries adopt export controls to manage the distribution of sensitive items to help ensure that people live in a secure environment. The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) at the U.S. Department of… Read More

Coming Next Week: CTT’s Second Installation in Our Policy Recommendation Series for Incoming BIS Leaders

Posted on by China Tech Threat
The second policy recommendation from China Tech Threat to help leaders at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) prevent adversaries from acquiring and weaponizing sensitive U.S.-made technologies, will be launched next week. This recommendation explores a key policy issue for BIS: the process and efficacy to control new and innovative dual use technologies. Major Congressional reforms adopted in 2018 require BIS to take leadership in an interagency process to identify and report on emerging and foundational technologies in foreign countries, to assess what effect export controls imposed on these technologies may have on their development in the United States, and to judge the effectiveness of export controls on limiting the proliferation of emerging and foundational… Read More

BIS Policy Recommendation: Strengthen Export Control Enforcement to Deter Violations

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Today, China Tech Threat released the first in a series of policy recommendations meant to help leaders at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) prevent adversaries from acquiring and weaponizing sensitive U.S.-made technologies. ·        BIS Agenda Recommendation 1: Strengthen Enforcement to Detect, Identify and Deter Export Control Violation Export controls provide a primary defense to keep sensitive dual-use and emerging technologies out of the hands of adversaries, like the People’s Republic of China (PRC), that seek to apply them against U.S. national security and economic interests. However, the tools to enforce compliance are relatively weak and may not fit the seriousness of threats posed by violators. Export controls are one of the few frontline defenses… Read More

Coming This Week: CTT Launches Policy Recommendation Series for Incoming BIS Leaders

Posted on by China Tech Threat
The Department of Commerce’ Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is the most important government agency most Americans have never heard of. Responsible for setting export control policies, enforcing treaty compliance and supporting U.S. technological leadership, the BIS plays a key role in maintaining the balance among U.S. innovation, commerce and national security interests. This once obscure office has taken on a prominent role as the United States’ competition (and tensions) with China has escalated. As Martijn Rasser and Meghan Lamberth penned recently, “As the enforcer of export controls, [BIS] has become ground zero of the technology competition with China… Export controls, investment reviews, and technology trade restrictions are now key levers in national security strategy.” President Biden has nominated… Read More

BIS Adds 12 Chinese Companies to the Entity List

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Last week, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), within the Dept. of Commerce, added a dozen Chinese companies on the Entity List over national security and foreign policy concerns. The action comes as we await confirmation of Alan Estevez to assume leadership of the relatively unknown, but increasingly crucial agency. One of these companies is semiconductor maker New H3C Technologies (H3C), which is partly owned by U.S. company Hewlett Packard Enterprise. For its 2020 fiscal year, HPE recorded about $737 million in sales to H3C. This is equal to about 3% of total HPE revenues – as well as purchases amounting to roughly $215 million. Additionally, HPE’s Chinese partner is H3C, Tsinghua Unigroup, which CTT has repeatedly flagged as… Read More

China’s AI startups face few barriers to buy American tech; BIS, DoD, and Treasury on the sidelines

Posted on by China Tech Threat
An explosive new report, Harnessed Lightning: How the Chinese Military Is Adopting Artificial Intelligence, from the Center for Security & Emerging Technology (CSET) is a wake-up call to America’s national security and strategic trade control policymakers. The report demonstrates how thousands of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startups can access American technologies, including advanced DRAM semiconductors. Of the 273 AI suppliers to the Chinese military identified in this study, less than two dozen are named in U.S. export control and sanctions regimes, whether the Entity List published by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List published by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or the List of… Read More

WSJ: House Republicans Tell Commerce Dept. to Get Tougher on China

Posted on by China Tech Threat
According to an article published today in the Wall Street Journal, Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee are continuing to apply pressure to the Commerce Department to fortify export controls. In a letter led by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and a group of top Republicans called for the “strengthening of export controls on semiconductors.” Signers included all other members of the China Task Force, Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY), Andy Barr (R-KY), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Michael Waltz (R-FL), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Robert J. Wittman (R-VA), Scott Perry (R-PA), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Mark Green (R-TN), Mike Garcia (R-CA), Austin Scott (R-GA), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) and Young Kim (R-CA). This follows a move this month by Republican… Read More

5 Key Takeaways from President Biden’s Export Administrator Nominee

Posted on by China Tech Threat
This week the Senate Banking Committee advanced Thea Kendler, President Biden’s nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, for a full Senate confirmation vote later this fall. If confirmed, Ms. Kendler will help shape export control policy, a frontline defense against the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) weaponization of U.S. technologies. Here are five key takeaways from Ms. Kendler’s responses to lawmakers’ Questions for the Record. The PRC’s technological, military and economic rise poses “one of the greatest” threats to U.S. national security.Asked if she agreed, Ms. Kendler wrote, “Yes.” The PRC’s “diversion of dual-use technologies to military uses; theft of intellectual property; human rights abuses; and anti-competitive, unfair and coercive trade practices… threaten our national… Read More

BIS Nominee “Deeply Concerned” about China’s Military-Civil Fusion Threat

Posted on by China Tech Threat
By a voice vote on Tuesday, the Senate Banking Committee endorsed Alan Estevez and Thea Kendler to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security (BIS) and as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, respectively. The vote advances President Biden’s nominees—who, if confirmed, will play pivotal roles in shaping U.S. export control policy—for consideration by the full Senate this fall. In response to prepared Questions for the Record, Mr. Estevez stated that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) poses “one of our most difficult challenges related to U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives, including our ability to maintain U.S. technological leadership in critical areas.” “I am deeply concerned about the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) efforts… Read More

Hudson Institute’s Arthur Herman on Decoupling from China

Posted on by China Tech Threat
Last week China Tech Threat founder Roslyn Layton sat down with Hudson Institute’s Arthur Herman. They discussed his recently launched Hamilton Commission, the #FutureofBIS and the importance of the U.S decoupling from China and ensuring that companies such as YMTC cannot enter the U.S market. See full discussion below:… Read More