China to restrict exports of AI and solar technology

China plans to impose stricter export controls on key technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and solar energy, according to a government draft released this week. The proposal, jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Science and Technology, outlines measures to regulate the export of 40 specific technologies. These include 23 AI-related applications such as AI agents and methods for training large-scale AI models. The draft allows access to these technologies through APIs, websites, and apps, but requires registration for technology transfers starting immediately. Under the draft, 26 of the listed technologies would require approval before export, while 14 would be outright banned. The restricted AI technologies include advanced large-model training techniques and AI agents designed for sensitive environments such as national defense and critical infrastructure. Access to publicly available AI technologies would remain unaffected. Solar technology is also impacted, with production processes for solar cells and techniques related to cell and gene therapies falling under the new regulations. The Chinese government cited security concerns as the rationale for these measures, noting that AI could be used to attack critical infrastructure and that solar technology is vital for space exploration and defense. The proposed export controls aim to prevent the misuse of AI and ensure human oversight over its development. The draft highlights the need to restrict the export of AI models with parameter counts exceeding 2 billion, a metric reflecting a model’s learning capacity. While specific models like Moonshot’s Kimi K3 and Alibaba’s Qwen 3.8-Max exceed this threshold, the draft does not explicitly name them. China’s move comes amid ongoing tensions with the United States, where both nations have imposed export restrictions on each other. In May, China expanded visa restrictions for AI talent to retain strategic expertise domestically. Despite recent progress in dialogues on AI safety and governance, cooperation between the two countries remains limited. The draft is open for public comment until November 15, after which a final version will be announced. Experts suggest the impact of these controls on China’s economy and trade strategy with the U.S. will require further analysis. The immediate implementation of registration requirements for technology transfers, even for ongoing exports, adds complexity to the regulatory landscape. The proposed measures reflect broader efforts to update China’s technology export catalog, emphasizing control over sensitive technologies. As the competition between China and the U.S. intensifies, these export controls signal a growing emphasis on technological sovereignty and security.