U.S. lawmakers have voiced strong criticism of the Biden administration following Huawei’s unveiling of a new laptop powered by an Intel AI chip, renewing concerns about the company’s access to American technology.
Huawei, a Chinese telecoms equipment giant, revealed its first AI-enabled laptop, the MateBook X Pro, on Thursday. The device is powered by Intel’s new Core Ultra 9 processor, raising eyebrows among China hardliners who had expected the Biden administration to curb Huawei’s access to U.S. technology.
The United States added Huawei to a trade restriction list in 2019 for violating sanctions related to Iran. This listing requires U.S. suppliers to obtain a special license before shipping to Huawei. Despite this, a license issued by the Trump administration has allowed Intel to supply central processors to Huawei for laptops since 2020.
Republican Congressman Michael Gallagher, chair of the House of Representatives Select Committee on China, expressed his frustration, stating, “One of the greatest mysteries in Washington, DC is why the Department of Commerce continues to allow U.S. technology to be shipped to Huawei.”
According to sources familiar with the matter, the chips used in Huawei’s new laptop were shipped under an existing license and are not subject to recent broad restrictions on AI chip shipments to China. Both the Commerce Department and Intel declined to comment on the issue, while Huawei did not respond to requests for comment.
Republican Representative Elise Stefanik took to social media to criticize the Biden administration, stating that the laptop’s launch “makes it clear” the Commerce Department approved shipments of the new chip to Huawei. “It is unacceptable that the Biden Administration is actively working to undermine U.S. national security by allowing our greatest strategic adversary access to cutting-edge American technology,” Stefanik said.
Michael McCaul, another Republican representative, echoed Stefanik’s sentiments, stating, “These approvals must stop. Two years ago, I was told licenses to Huawei would stop. Today, it doesn’t seem as though the policy has changed.”
Huawei’s recent product launch comes on the heels of other developments that have stoked concerns about China’s technological advancements. Last August, Huawei unveiled a new phone powered by a chip from sanctioned Chinese chipmaker SMIC, underscoring China’s resilience in the face of U.S. efforts to curb its semiconductor capabilities.
At a Senate subcommittee hearing this week, Kevin Kurland, an export enforcement official, acknowledged that Washington’s restrictions on Huawei have had a “significant impact” on its access to U.S. technology. However, he emphasized that the goal was not necessarily to halt Huawei’s growth but to prevent its misuse of U.S. technology for “malign activities.”
Despite these reassurances, the unveiling of Huawei’s new laptop has reignited calls from Republican lawmakers for stricter controls on U.S. technology exports to the Chinese tech giant. As tensions continue to simmer, the issue is likely to remain a contentious point of debate in Washington’s ongoing efforts to balance national security concerns with global technological competition.
