US President Donald Trump’s administration plans to restrict exports to China of numerous products manufactured using or containing US software, in retaliation for China’s recent restrictions on rare earth exports. A US official and three sources familiar with the matter said the plan is still under consideration.
The plan could affect a wide range of products, from laptops to jet engines. This move would fulfill Trump’s statement earlier this month that he might ban the export of “critical software” to China.
Trump said in a social media post on October 10 that 100% tariffs would be imposed on imports from China to the US and that new export controls would be imposed on “all critical software” as of November 1. However, it is not yet clear whether these restrictions will take effect.
According to sources, this proposal suggests Washington could significantly escalate its trade tensions with Beijing. Some government officials, however, are reportedly advocating a more moderate approach. While the White House and the US Department of Commerce declined to comment, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy stated that they oppose “unilateral US exercise of jurisdiction,” adding, “If the US continues down the wrong path, we will take decisive action to protect our legitimate rights.”
It’s being suggested that the plan could be announced as a means of putting pressure on China, but it might not be implemented immediately. Alternative, more limited proposals are also reportedly being discussed. “It’s almost impossible to imagine anything that isn’t built with US software,” one source said, highlighting the potential global impact of the measures.
It is stated that if these restrictions are implemented, they could have negative repercussions on the US economy and disrupt global technology trade.
The plan in question is similar to the export restrictions imposed on Russia by the Biden administration in 2022. At the time, the US restricted global exports of products produced with US technology following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
*This is not investment advice.