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US Commerce Department Withdraws Plan to Restrict Chinese-Made Drones

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The U.S. Commerce Department said on Friday it has dropped plans to impose new restrictions on Chinese-made drones aimed at addressing national security concerns, stepping back from a proposal that followed an earlier crackdown on passenger cars and trucks.

The decision comes after the Federal Communications Commission last month barred imports of new models of foreign-made drones and critical components on national security grounds, including products from China’s DJI and Autel. The FCC said this week it would exempt some non-Chinese drones from those restrictions.

The Commerce Department had said in September that it planned to issue rules that could restrict or potentially block imports of Chinese drones due to concerns over information and communications technology supply chains. The proposal was sent to the White House for review on October 8, but was formally withdrawn on Thursday, according to a government website posting released on Friday.

Under the FCC’s current measures, Chinese drone manufacturers cannot obtain the approvals needed to sell new drone models or key components in the United States. However, the rules do not ban the import, sale or use of existing drone models previously authorized, nor do they affect drones already purchased by users.

Records posted online show that the White House and the Commerce Department discussed the drone proposal through December 19 and met with DJI officials on December 11. During those discussions, DJI argued that blanket restrictions on drones manufactured in China would be “unnecessary, conceptually flawed, and extremely harmful to U.S. stakeholders.”

The withdrawal appears to be linked to a broader pause in actions targeting China ahead of a planned meeting in April between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to a government official briefed on the matter.

The Commerce Department had previously warned that threats from China and Russia could allow adversaries to remotely access or manipulate drone systems, potentially exposing sensitive U.S. data. It had also been considering restrictions on key drone systems such as onboard computers, communications equipment, flight control systems, operating software and data storage — measures that some experts said could amount to an effective ban on Chinese drones.

Chinese imports account for the majority of commercial drone sales in the United States, with DJI alone representing more than half of the market. Neither the Commerce Department nor DJI immediately responded to requests for comment.

Applied Materials Warns of $600 Million Revenue Hit in 2026 After Expanded U.S. Chip Export Curbs

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Applied Materials, one of the world’s largest semiconductor equipment makers, said it expects a $600 million revenue impact in fiscal 2026 after the U.S. government broadened export restrictions on technology shipments to China and its affiliates.

The company’s shares fell about 3% in after-hours trading on Thursday following a regulatory filing that detailed the potential hit. Applied Materials said the new rules will make it harder to export certain products and provide parts or services to specific China-based subsidiaries without a U.S. export license.

New U.S. Restrictions Target Loopholes

The U.S. Department of Commerce this week expanded its export blacklist to include majority-owned subsidiaries of already restricted companies. The move targets entities that have been using offshore affiliates to circumvent U.S. export controls on sensitive technologies, particularly in the semiconductor, aerospace, and medical equipment sectors.

The company estimated an additional $110 million impact on its fourth-quarter 2024 revenue, compounding challenges already caused by a slowdown in China and ongoing tariff pressures.

Broader Industry Pressure

Applied Materials, along with European chipmaking equipment supplier ASML Holding, has been hit by weak demand in China, where export curbs have limited access to advanced lithography and chip-manufacturing tools.

Analysts said the new rule could disrupt global semiconductor supply chains and increase the number of firms that will now need licenses to receive U.S.-origin components and services.

Washington’s Push for Domestic Chip Production

In a related policy move, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Washington was urging Taiwan to adopt a 50-50 manufacturing split with the United States, part of efforts to boost domestic chip production and reduce dependence on overseas supply chains.

Applied Materials’ Financial Outlook

Despite the looming headwinds, Applied Materials reported strong results for fiscal 2024, with revenue up 2.5% year-over-year to $27.18 billion. Third-quarter revenue rose 8% to $7.30 billion, surpassing market expectations of $7.22 billion, according to LSEG data.

However, the company’s August outlook had already signaled a cautious tone, citing “geopolitical uncertainty and weaker equipment spending” as persistent risks heading into 2025.

As the U.S.–China technology rivalry intensifies, Applied Materials’ latest warning highlights the growing cost of Washington’s export-control campaign, which is reshaping the global semiconductor landscape and testing the resilience of supply chains worldwide.

U.S. Senators Call for Probe into Data Security Risks of Chinese AI Model DeepSeek

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A group of seven Republican U.S. senators led by Ted Budd urged the Commerce Department on Tuesday to investigate potential data security risks associated with Chinese open-source AI models such as DeepSeek.

The senators—including Jon Husted, Todd Young, John Cornyn, John Curtis, Bill Cassidy, and Marsha Blackburn—requested an assessment of whether applications using DeepSeek collect data that is transmitted back to Chinese servers, and if these AI models are sharing American personal or corporate information with China’s military or military-linked companies.

Their letter also sought information on any improper access by Chinese open-source models to export-controlled semiconductors or breaches of usage terms of U.S. AI models aimed at enhancing Chinese AI capabilities.

Bipartisan legislation has been proposed to ban DeepSeek’s use on federal government devices and networks, as well as prohibit its use by federal contractors in government projects.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated in January that DeepSeek appeared to have misappropriated U.S. AI technology and promised to enforce restrictions. The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In June, Reuters reported that DeepSeek was assisting China’s military and intelligence services and was attempting to use Southeast Asian shell companies to obtain advanced semiconductors barred from shipment to China under U.S. export rules.

These developments underscore growing skepticism in Washington over DeepSeek’s rapid rise, with officials suggesting the Chinese firm’s AI prowess heavily depends on U.S. technology.

Based in Hangzhou, DeepSeek shocked the tech world in January by claiming its AI reasoning models matched or outperformed leading U.S. models at a fraction of the cost.