Why US blacklisting of China tech entities is unlikely to work

Beijing's AI-plans too advanced; many firms also anticipated US ban

AI is central to China's ambitions for global tech supremacy, and Beijing has firmly denounced the U.S.'s latest move to ban technology exports to 28 blacklisted Chinese firms and state groups involved in surveillance and repression of minorities. © AP

COCO LIU, CHENG TING-FANG and LAULY LI, Nikkei staff writers

October 8, 2019 20:48 JST

HONG KONG/TAIPEI -- Washington's ban on U.S. tech exports to 28 Chinese entities is aimed directly at one of Beijing's top strategic priorities: its fast-growing AI capability that is already being harnessed in a nationwide surveillance system used to repress minority groups.

The action, the latest escalation in the two superpowers' battle for technological supremacy, has infuriated Beijing and will cast a dark shadow over ongoing trade talks.