The Inspur units were listed for contributing to the development of supercomputers for the Chinese military, the Commerce Department said in a posting. Five of the subsidiaries are based in China and one in Taiwan. Inspur Group itself was placed on the list in 2023, Reuters reports.

The Inspur units are among about 80 companies and institutes added to the export control list on Tuesday. Over 50 are based in China. Others are in Taiwan, Iran, Pakistan, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

The listings are intended to restrict China’s ability to develop high-performance computing capabilities, quantum technologies and advanced AI, and impede China’s development of its hypersonic weapons program.

“We will not allow adversaries to exploit American technology to bolster their own militaries and threaten American lives,” said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

China’s foreign ministry, in response to an enquiry on Wednesday, condemned the U.S. move and said the country will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said on Tuesday it firmly opposed “these acts taken by the US and demand that it immediately stop using military-related issues as pretexts to politicize, instrumentalize and weaponize trade and tech issues.”

The Inspur Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US also seeks to disrupt Iran’s procurement of drones and related defense items and to prevent development of its ballistic missile program and unsafeguarded nuclear activities.

The government adds companies to the Commerce Department’s Entity List for national security or foreign policy concerns. Companies cannot sell goods to those listed without applying for and obtaining licenses, which are likely to be denied.

RHM