China Proposes Expanding Export Controls to 23 AI Technologies

China’s AI export controls are set to expand to include 23 artificial intelligence technologies. On October 16, China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology published a draft revision of the catalog of technologies prohibited or restricted for export and opened it for public comment.

The draft covers 40 technologies in total from the fields of artificial intelligence, biomedicine and photovoltaics. Of these, 23 items concern AI. They include large models, AI agents, computing clusters and information processing.

The immediate measure is not the introduction of a final ban or licensing regime for the entire proposed list. Until the revision is adopted, however, exporters must complete pre-export registration when transferring technologies listed in the draft.

China’s AI export controls are currently in the consultation stage

Comments on the draft may be submitted from October 16 to November 15, 2026. The final wording of the catalog is not yet known. Individual items, thresholds and the scope of the restrictions may change during the consultation.

In an accompanying explanation, Beijing said the goal is to protect security and prevent the misuse of technologies. The Chinese side also claims that the measure is not directed against any specific country. A direct link between the move and US export controls therefore has not been officially confirmed.

For companies that provide or license technologies across borders, the transitional registration rule is particularly important. It applies to the transfer of technologies listed in the draft and remains in effect until the revision is formally completed. The documents do not yet indicate which specific companies or models will be affected most in practice.

Exceptions for publicly available technologies and services

The Ministry of Commerce said technologies that have already entered the public domain through open-source projects or academic publications are not intended to be covered by the regulation. The draft and its explanation therefore distinguish technologies considered publicly available from transfers that may be subject to registration or later restrictions.

According to the ministry, most AI technologies are expected to remain freely exportable after the rules take effect. For restricted models, simply providing access through an API, web interface or SaaS services is not intended to automatically be considered an export of model technology.

The Chinese side also outlined simplified procedures for certain open-source scenarios, foreign-owned clouds, joint research and international standardization. The specific technical conditions and limits of these exceptions, however, will need to be assessed based on the final catalog and its practical interpretation.

What the draft could affect

The draft represents a formal step by Beijing toward greater control over the transfer of its own strategic AI technologies. In practice, it could complicate the cross-border licensing of advanced Chinese models, chip designs and computing infrastructure, although the impact will depend on the final rules.

The next milestone will be the conclusion of the consultation on November 15. It will be important to see whether the final catalog clarifies the criteria for models, agents, chip designs and computing clusters. The practical interpretation of the registration requirement, any licensing decisions, and the responses of Chinese AI companies and their foreign partners should also be monitored.

Verified and updated: October 19, 2026 06:20