China drafts export controls for 23 AI technologies
China's Ministry of Trade has proposed export controls for 23 AI technologies, including large language models with over two trillion parameters. The move mirrors US restrictions and highlights growing geopolitical fragmentation in the AI sector.
China's Ministry of Trade released a draft in mid-October proposing export controls for 40 technologies, 23 of which are AI-related. The regulations specifically target large language models with over two trillion parameters, requiring a license for export rather than imposing a total ban. Approximately 90% of the open-source LLM market originates from China, creating competition with US frontier models. This move follows previous restrictions on top mathematicians leaving the country and mirrors US actions, such as the export stop on Anthropic's Mythos model, which affected usage in Europe. The development highlights growing geopolitical fragmentation and concerns over European sovereignty regarding dependence on both Chinese open-source and US frontier models.