MOFCOM spokesperson He Yadong at a press conference on December 28, 2023 Photo: Tao Mingyang/GT

China will "implement necessary measures" to safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises if the US continues to escalate export controls targeting China, said China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Thursday.

MOFCOM spokesperson He Yadong made these remarks at a press conference in response to reports that the Biden administration is set to unveil new export restrictions on China as soon as this week, which may add 200 Chinese chip companies to a trade restriction list.

China strongly opposes the misuse of national security claims and the excessive use of export control measures leading to discriminatory restrictions on Chinese companies, He said.

The spokesperson condemned the US actions, stating that such measures severely undermine global trade and economic stability, disrupt international supply chains and damage the interests of businesses in both countries while hindering the growth of the global semiconductor industry.

He urged the US to respect the principles of market economy and fair competition and to refrain from further escalating restrictions. 

According to a report from Reuters on Friday, the Biden administration is likely to impose new export restrictions on China as early as this week, citing an email from the US Chamber of Commerce.

The restriction list bars most US suppliers from shipping goods to the targeted firms, according to the report.



Global Times