Huawei recent unveiling of a laptop powered by Intel’s latest AI chip has sparked outrage among Republican lawmakers in the United States. The MateBook X Pro, equipped with Intel’s Core Ultra 9 processor, has reignited concerns over the Biden administration’s approach to the sanctioned Chinese telecommunications giant.
The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for violating Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to curb Beijing’s technological advancements. This move requires Huawei’s suppliers to obtain special licenses before shipping to the company.
One such license, issued by the Trump administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. While China hardliners had urged the Biden administration to revoke this license, many reluctantly accepted that it would expire later this year without renewal.
However, Huawei’s unveiling of the AI-enabled laptop has shocked and angered these lawmakers, suggesting to them that the Commerce Department has approved shipments of the new chip to Huawei.
Republican Congressman Michael Gallagher, who chairs the House Select Committee on China, expressed bewilderment, stating, “One of the greatest mysteries in Washington, DC is why the Department of Commerce continues to allow U.S. technology to be shipped to Huawei.”
A source familiar with the matter revealed that the chips were shipped under a preexisting license and are not covered by recent broad-based restrictions on AI chip shipments to China.
The reaction highlights the growing pressure on the Biden administration to take more stringent measures against Huawei’s rise, nearly five years after it was added to the trade restriction list.
Republican Congressman Michael McCaul echoed the frustration, saying, “These approvals must stop. Two years ago, I was told licenses to Huawei would stop. Today, it doesn’t seem as though the policy has changed.”
The unveiling of Huawei’s AI-powered laptop has reignited debates over the US’s strategy to curtail China’s technological ambitions and the effectiveness of the ongoing sanctions against the Chinese tech giant.