Republican U.S. lawmakers have voiced criticism against the Biden administration for allowing Chinese tech giant Huawei to unveil a new laptop powered by an Intel AI chip. Despite being placed on a trade restriction list in 2019, Huawei has been able to receive shipments of central processors from Intel under a special license issued by the Trump administration. This has reignited concerns among China hardliners as the license is set to expire later this year, raising questions about the Commerce Department’s approval of new technology shipments to Huawei.
The unveiling of Huawei’s MateBook X Pro, equipped with Intel’s latest Core Ultra 9 processor, has sparked shock and anger among those advocating for stricter restrictions on the Chinese company. While some speculate that the chips were shipped under a preexisting license, the growing pressure on the Biden administration to curb Huawei’s technological advancements is becoming more apparent. Republican lawmakers are calling for an end to these approvals, highlighting the ongoing battle to prevent Huawei from misusing U.S. technology for potentially harmful activities.
Despite export enforcement official Kevin Kurland acknowledging the impact of restrictions on Huawei’s access to U.S. technology, Republican China hawks remain skeptical and frustrated. The situation underscores the challenges faced by the Biden administration in balancing national security concerns with technological innovation and economic competition. As tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate, the debate over Huawei’s access to advanced technology is likely to intensify, further testing the administration’s policies and priorities in the coming months.