US, China agree to export control information dialogue

The United States and China have agreed to launch an export control enforcement information dialogue and a new formal working group on commercial issues, the U.S. Commerce Department said on Monday, giving Beijing a potential forum to express concerns.

After meetings between U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, the exchange would provide a "platform to reduce misunderstandings of U.S. national security policies," Raimondo said, adding: "We are not compromising or negotiating on matters of national security. Period."

The first in-person meeting of the export control information exchange will be held at the assistant secretary level at the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing on Tuesday, Raimondo said.


"The United States is committed to be transparent about our export control enforcement strategy," she said. "To show you how real this is, the first meeting of that new information exchange is tomorrow in Beijing. We're wasting no time."

China has criticized U.S. efforts to block China's access to advanced semiconductors through export controls, but Raimondo has said those are not open for debate.

The White House this month moved to start prohibiting some U.S. investment in sensitive technologies in China and plans to soon finalize sweeping export restrictions on advanced semiconductors adopted in October.

Some Republicans in Congress had urged Raimondo earlier this month not to open a formal working group on export control issues.