China firmly opposes US sanctions on Chinese AI companies: Commerce ministry

China's Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday voiced strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the latest U.S. move, which ordered its federal civilian agencies to stop using artificial intelligence (AI) products and services from Chinese companies.

China adheres to placing equal emphasis on development and security, ensuring that AI remains safe, controllable, and reliable, a ministry spokesperson said.

Chinese AI companies have consistently been committed to providing safe and reliable services for global users while abiding by the laws of host countries, earning widespread recognition worldwide.

The U.S. side has taken discriminatory restrictive measures against Chinese AI companies for so-called national security concerns, the spokesperson stressed, saying the U.S. move is a typical act of overstretching the concept of national security and abusing administrative means to suppress Chinese enterprises.

It severely harms the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, undermines a fair competitive market environment, and disrupts normal commercial cooperation between China and the U.S. in the AI sector, the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson firmly opposed the recent U.S. sanctions on Chinese companies over the so-called issue of "theft of trade secrets," saying this malicious act has seriously harmed their legitimate rights and interests.

The rapid development of Chinese AI companies has been driven by long-term commitment to basic research and sustained investment in innovation, which serves the interests of China, the United States and the rest of the world, the spokesperson noted.

China urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its wrong practices, stop the unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies, and revoke relevant discriminatory restrictive measures, and hopes the United States will earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and make good use of the China-U.S. AI dialogue mechanism.

China will closely monitor developments and take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the country's and its enterprises' legitimate rights and interests, the spokesperson added.