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Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick told trade practitioners to expect a significant increase in fines for export control violations ans he called called for expanded cooperation with industry and allied governments to stem the flow of U.S. semiconductor technology to China.
Speaking at the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Update Conference, Lutnick directly accused Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek of acquiring U.S. chips through improper channels. “People took our chips and redirected them to China for money,” he said. “Sometimes it’s not that much money, and sometimes it’s a lot of money, but they’re seeking to destroy our way of life by assisting those who are against it.”
Following Senate action last week, House Republicans reintroduced the bipartisan Foreign Investment Guardrails to Help Thwart (FIGHT) China Act.
The legislation establishes a "comprehensive outbound investment screening regime that protects the savings and retirement accounts of hardworking Americans. The bill creates targeted restrictions to ensure U.S. investors are not unwittingly financing the CCP’s military and surveillance capabilities."
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will hold a public hearing on March 24 and 26, 2025, as part of its Section 301 investigation into the People’s Republic of China’s targeting of the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. While the hearing is on the record, external cameras and video recording are prohibited, and proceedings will not be livestreamed.
In a striking move, the United States took yet another step back from Ukraine and its allies by abstaining from a key vote at the International Labour Organization (ILO). This is the second such abstention in Geneva, following a similar move at the World Trade Organization last month. At the UN General Assembly, the US went even further, voting with North Korea and other Russian allies against a western-backed resolution denouncing the invasion and tabling a more conciliatory text, raising concerns that Ukraine may no longer rely on the US as a leading force to plead its cause at multilateral bodies.
The United States has filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Southern District of Florida against a Dassault Falcon 900 EX aircraft, tail number T7-ESPRT, used by Nicolás Maduro Moros and his regime in violation of U.S. sanctions and export laws. The aircraft was seized last year in the Dominican Republic at the request of the U.S.
Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), Chairman of the House Select China Committee has written Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik asking for a briefing on exxport controls on access to American universities' supercomputing resources.
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