BEIJING / RankWire.AI / – On Wednesday, China announced a series of retaliatory measures against the United States, notably tightening controls over exports related to drones and imposing restrictions on dealings with seven American entities. These measures, which came into effect on August 5, follow recent U.S. restrictions on technology imports and export controls. China’s Ministry of Commerce indicated that shipments of controlled drones, crucial components, and associated technologies will now undergo more stringent review processes before export to the U.S. market. The new regulations pertain to items already regulated under China’s dual-use export control system, but they do not constitute an outright ban on all Chinese drone exports to America.
Instead of streamlined licensing procedures, exporters must now obtain approval for each individual shipment involving these controlled items, with authorities conducting assessments of the product details, end users, and intended applications in accordance with existing export control regulations. The scope of the regulation includes unmanned aerial vehicles, significant parts, and technologies that meet China’s criteria for controlled items. China already regulates specific drone engines, communication devices, sensors, and anti-drone systems, and it also prohibits civilian drones from being exported for military use. The latest move intensifies scrutiny specifically on products destined for the United States, focusing on the controlled items involved.
In addition to export restrictions, Beijing has barred Chinese individuals and organizations from engaging in transactions or collaborations with six U.S. entities, which include Applied DNA Sciences, Stratum Reservoir, Altana Technologies, the Responsible Business Alliance, Verité Group, and Human Rights in China. The Chinese authorities accused these organizations of supporting U.S. restrictions related to alleged forced labor in Xinjiang. An independent order also extended the same business bans to Compliance Testing LLC, which China claims supported Federal Communications Commission measures affecting Chinese technology companies.
Expansion of export controls beyond drone technology
China has initiated a national security investigation into imported office equipment that contains foreign-developed system software, focusing on products such as printers, copiers, and multifunction devices that rely on foreign drivers or embedded software. Officials explained that the review will analyze imports, domestic demand, supply reliance, and potential impacts on national security interests, employing methods like questionnaires, hearings, site inspections, or commissioned inquiries. The investigation is mandated to conclude within 12 months, with law permitting extensions under special circumstances.
Separately, China has suspended the arrangement allowing U.S. certification bodies to perform follow-up factory inspections for its mandatory product certification system, the China Compulsory Certification. According to the State Administration for Market Regulation, designated Chinese organizations can no longer delegate these inspections to American firms. This change affects the process of maintaining certifications for covered products, potentially requiring manufacturers to seek other approved inspection bodies. The order does not annul existing certifications or outright ban all U.S. products from entering China.
Response to US-imposed restrictions
China associated its recent actions with the recent moves by the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The FCC has limited approvals for new foreign-made drones and key components entering the U.S. market, later allowing some exceptions for certain toy drones and specific models. On July 31, U.S. authorities also added 43 Chinese entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act list, under which products linked to these entities face a legal presumption of being inadmissible under U.S. law.
Chinese officials characterized the countermeasures as moderate and called on Washington to revoke the measures that Beijing has cited. The restrictions took effect immediately, with the exception of the office equipment review, which began on the same date. The measures do not target individual drone manufacturers nor do they ban all drone exports; instead, they impose tighter licensing requirements for controlled drones, components, and related technologies. The business restrictions are limited to the seven named U.S. entities, and the office equipment investigation remains ongoing.