Chip ban pushback stresses damage

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday that calls from the United States business community pushing back on a proposed Chinese chip ban, in the final version of an annual defense policy bill, shows how the arbitrary disruption and damage to global industrial and supply chains serves no one's interests.

In a letter to Jack Reed, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, and James Inhofe, ranking member of the committee, the industry group said the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act's amendment banning government agencies from doing business with Chinese semiconductor manufacturers is not clearly defined in law or regulations.

The coalition also argued that the amendment would impose "tremendous compliance burdens" on government contractors and grant or loan recipients.

Noting that the NDAA is essentially U.S. domestic legislation, Mao told a daily news briefing that "China firmly rejects inserting negative content about it into the draft legislation".

"The U.S. should carefully listen to domestic rational voices, stop politicizing, weaponizing, and ideologizing economic, trade, and sci-tech issues," Mao said.

As the formation and development of global industrial and supply chains are the result of the combined forces of market rules and the choices of businesses, Mao said arbitrary disruption and damage to global industrial and supply chains would receive no support.

She urged the U.S. to stop blocking and hobbling Chinese companies, respect the law of the market economy and free trade rules, as well as defend the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

In another development, Mao responded to a call made by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, saying that China would minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on its economic and social development.

The Chinese government has always attached great importance to providing foreign businesses with the services they need and facilitating their operation in China, Mao said, adding that the country has taken targeted measures to help foreign businesses overcome their difficulties.

While adhering to COVID-19 prevention and control efforts, China would continue to review and update the measures in light of the latest developments and make sure that measures are science-based and targeted, she added.