Name: Marco Rubio Calls on Biden Administration to Blacklist Chinese Chip Design Firm Brite
Uploaded: 2023-12-22T16:28:18.000Z
Description: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has urged the Department of Commerce (DOC) to blacklist a Chinese chip design firm and impose further restrictions on Chinese tech companies as they allegedly bypass U.S. export-control measures to help U.S.-sanctioned China entities.

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

NTD Plus

News

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

Australia Orders China-Linked Investors to Sell Stakes in Rare Earth Miner

Evergrande Liquidators Seek $8.4 Billion From PwC

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

Kremlin: 'Serious Expectations' for Putin's China Trip

Tiffany Meier is an anchor, China news investigative reporter, and producer for NTD News based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Tiffany anchors NTD's flagship shows "NTD Evening News" and "China in Focus" and co-moderates NTD's special election coverage "The Nation Decides." She produced the award-winning NTD Original documentary "Hollywood Takeover: China's Control in the Film Industry."


Tiffany Meier

Retired Colonel on What's Next for Taiwan and Trade as Trump Wraps China Summit

Vivian Li is a producer and reporter based at NTD’s global headquarters in New York City. With more than a decade of experience as a reporter and anchor for NTD’s Chinese-language division, she now primarily contributes to NTD’s English-language program China in Focus.

Vivian Li

Trump Says He Will Speak to Taiwan’s Leader About Regional Security, Arms Sales

Trump Reaffirms Alliance With Japan After China Visit

US Business Leaders Join Trump in China, No Major Deals Announced Yet

Top US CEOs Join Trump in China

Grace Wang

China Tweaks Marco Rubio’s Name to Allow Entry

Biggest Takeaways From the Trump-Xi Summit: Yates

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 18)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 15)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 14)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 13)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 12)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 11)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 8)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 7)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 6)

China in Focus Full Broadcast (May 5)

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Videos

NTD Live

NYC Firm Hosts Book Party on Investing in Critical Minerals Beyond Beijing’s Reach

China News

'Mineral War' Author on China's Rise, Global Response

China’s Long Arm on American Soil

Special Reports

Global Trade Under the Shadow of the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre

How Americans View China and Chinese ‘Elections’: Special Report

Countering Communism in US With Memorial for Its Victims

US Funding Chinese Communist Party Economic Growth: Experts

China's Artistic Censorship Aimed at Americans: Browde

Taiwan 2024 Special Election Coverage: China in Focus

Expert: Why Social Media Apps Are 'Legal Malware'

Jeremy Sandberg is an international correspondent for NTD News. He primary covers geopolitics, foreign affairs, and U.S. domestic politics. 

Jeremy Sandberg

Aaron Pan is a reporter covering China and U.S. news. He graduated with a master's degree in finance from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Aaron Pan

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has urged the Department of Commerce (DOC) to blacklist a Chinese chip design firm and impose further restrictions on Chinese tech companies as they allegedly bypass U.S. export-control measures to help U.S.-sanctioned China entities.

In a letter dated Dec. 20 to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Mr. Rubio raised concerns that Chinese company Brite Semiconductor has used American technology and funds to provide chip design services to Chinese military companies.

"That Brite and other Chinese technology companies have relatively free access to American technology shows yet again that your export-control scheme is allowing China's rise as a technological power," Mr. Rubio noted. "It is not enough to prevent China from attaining theoretical capabilities in the future if it means ignoring the lucrative and militarily significant transfer of technology that goes on between American and Chinese firms today."

The senator made the request following a Reuters investigative report titled "China chip firm powered by U.S. tech and money avoids [President Joe] Biden's crackdown," which reveals Brite's close business ties with two California-based software companies and American investment firms as well as its links with Chinese military companies.

The report found that Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) holds a 19 percent stake in Brite. SMIC has been under close Washington watch and is on several U.S. blacklists, which <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/trump-strengthens-ban-on-us-investments-in-chinese-military-companies-3656108">target</a> companies tied to the Chinese military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Brite's customers include at least six Chinese military suppliers, including ComNav Technology, which makes satellite navigation systems for the PLA Navy and PLA Strategic Support Force.

The report noted that Brite has maintained its relationships with top U.S. chip design software firms, Cadence and Synopsys, which make Electronic Design Assistance (EDA) software a significant part of the semiconductor supply chain.

In August 2022, the Department of Commerce imposed export controls on EDA software.

The report also found that Brite has U.S. financial ties. A Wells Fargo Bank-backed Norwest Venture Partners and Biola University, a California-based Christian college, hold stakes in Brite.

"Brite's example shows that swift action is needed now to prevent China's chip industrial base from growing stronger," Mr. Rubio said.

The Florida senator urged the Department of Commerce to apply the same licensing requirements to Brite as those imposed on SMIC. He also urged Ms. Raimondo to tighten further restrictions, including denying or rescinding export licenses of Chinese firms on the blacklist and expanding the list of restricted EDA software to prevent Chinese tech firms from accessing these crucial tools.

Experts told Reuters that Brite illustrates Beijing's ability to use low-profile companies to skirt American export bans on big-name Chinese firms.

"Brite is a classic example of how a U.S.-China joint venture could end up funneling valuable semiconductor technology to SMIC and the PLA," said Martijn Rasser, managing director of Datenna, an open-source intelligence company.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Department of Commerce for comment.
<h2>Measures</h2>
The Biden administration started <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/biden-admin-unveils-tough-restrictions-on-semiconductor-exports-to-china-4782149">imposing</a> sweeping export controls last October with bipartisan support in an effort to weaken Beijing chip's ambition that might threaten U.S. technology dominance.

Since then, the United States has introduced a series of additional restrictions to further prevent the Chinese regime from accessing U.S. technology.

In July, the Senate <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/senate-backs-measures-tackling-china-tech-investments-ccp-farmland-purchases-5423158">backed</a> a bill that requires U.S. firms to notify the Department of Treasury if they have investments in Chinese firms with sensitive technologies—including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and hypersonics—over national security concerns.

In August, President Biden signed an executive order banning outbound U.S. investments in critical technologies that "significantly advance the military, intelligence, surveillance, or cyber-enabled capabilities of countries of concern."

In October, Chairman Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee urged the Biden administration to strengthen the enforcement of export controls on sending advanced computing chips and the machinery required for their production to China.

The two Republicans said that existing U.S. export controls and related policies regarding Chinese tech companies are ineffective. They pointed out that these firms can exploit loopholes, resulting in significant advancements in chip technology that pose a national security risk.

In October, the DOC announced that it finalized the rules under the CHIPS and Science Act to prevent China from benefiting from the $52 billion funds.

NTD’s Jeremy Sandberg has more on the Senator's call to action.

<em>Reuters contributed to this report.</em>

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/marco-rubio-calls-on-biden-administration-to-blacklist-chinese-chip-design-firm-brite-5551694">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Programs

04_Top Stories

sanctions

Latest Clips

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.