Overview

• The US Commerce Department has issued guidance clarifying that using Huawei Ascend 910B, 910C, and 910D chips globally violates existing export control rules.
• This interpretation builds on existing regulations, emphasizing that Huawei's chips likely involve US-origin technology or equipment in their design and production.
• The Trump administration has rescinded the Biden-era AI diffusion rule, which categorized countries into export tiers, and plans to replace it with a framework focused on trusted foreign partners.
• Nvidia and AMD must continue to secure licenses for exporting advanced chips to China, with the US warning against diversion tactics to bypass restrictions.
• Huawei's Ascend chips, which rival Nvidia's performance, are central to China's push for semiconductor self-reliance, further intensifying US-China tech competition.