China Proposes Adding 40 Technologies, 23 of Them AI, to Its Export-Restriction Catalogue

China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology issued Announcement No. 48, proposing to add 40 technologies to the Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted from Export, including 23 in AI. Bloomberg, in the Taipei Times, reports the draft covers 23 AI technologies, and that it would restrict exports of core technology for models containing at least 2 trillion parameters. A Commerce Ministry spokesperson said the curbs aim at ensuring “the safety and controllability” of AI technology.

Per the Ctrl+AI+Reg newsletter, using a restricted model through an API, app, website or SaaS product will not count as exporting the model technology, while deploying it overseas will fall within export management. The draft sets separate benchmarks for some AI agents: handling 20 or more subtasks, or using at least 200 tools at specified accuracy levels. A separate measure took effect immediately: exporters must register certain transfers of technologies listed in its annex until the Catalogue is revised. The English annex was not read; thresholds beyond those quoted sit behind the newsletter’s paywall.