The US commerce department has finalised new rules to make it easier for the federal government to block Americans from importing technology from China and other US adversaries that it decides could threaten national security.
The new rule, covering software such as that used in critical infrastructure and hardware including drones and surveillance cameras, gives new powers to the commerce secretary to issue licences or block imports.
Although it also applies to technology imports from Iran, Russia, North Korea, Cuba and the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro, the main impact is aimed at China — the latest in a string of actions in the final days of the Trump administration designed to raise pressure on Beijing.