"Escalating U.S. Sanctions Urged for Huawei and SMIC Amidst Growing Tensions"

Ten Republican lawmakers, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, have called on the Commerce Department to impose heavier sanctions on China's Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) after the companies displayed a domestically manufactured advanced smartphone chip, allegedly violating U.S. export controls. The lawmakers' letter suggests seven measures to tighten sanctions against China's chip industry, including setting up a China-facing sanctions authority, revoking existing export licenses, and pursuing criminal charges against executives. The letter addresses concerns about the effectiveness of export controls and the potential for U.S. technology to filter to China. The Commerce Department, Huawei, and SMIC have not yet responded to the letter.