US bars Chinese supercomputer firms from buying American parts

The US Commerce Department said on Friday it was adding 5 Chinese companies and a government-owned institute involved in supercomputing with military applications to its national security “entity list,” which bars them from buying US parts and components without government approval, reported Reuters.

The department said it was adding Sugon, the Wuxi Jiangnan Institute of Computing Technology, Higon, the Chengdu Haiguang Integrated Circuit and Chengdu Haiguang Microelectronics Technology to the list over concerns about the military applications of the supercomputers they are developing.

The Commerce Department said the companies “pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved in activities contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.”

The Wuxi Jiangnan Institute of Computing Technology is owned by the 56th Research Institute of the General Staff of China’s People’s Liberation Army, the Commerce Department said, adding “its mission is to support China’s military modernization.”