At a press conference today, the spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) responded to a potential TikTok deal and threats of more U.S. tariffs in a way that may suggest openness on the part of the Chinese government.

Last week, the Dutch government updated its export control rules governing advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This decision expands the scope of the national export control measures first introduced in 2023.

China's Ministry of Commerce has signaled potential expansion of its export controls on strategic resources, a move that could escalate tensions in the ongoing tech trade war.

China has recently updated its WTO consultations request with the U.S. over the export control regime for semiconductors, broadening the scope of the consultations to cover more recent measures that expand the regime.

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce published an interim final rule governing exports of chips used in artificial intelligence. The rule has already drawn criticism from Beijing and some domestic players.

On January 2, Beijing published the first control list of entities for export control purposes, making 28 U.S. companies subject to stringent dual-use item export controls.

At today's press conference, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) spokesperson He Yadong addressed several issues affecting international trade relations: Drone exports to the U.S. and Europe, Australian lobster imports, and U.S. efforts to remove Chinese telecom equipment.