On August 28, China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology jointly released a newly revised Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted from Export (“Catalogue”), which is the second revision since the creation of the Catalogue in 2001. While China has separate control lists for items (including technology) controlled for non-proliferation reasons (i.e. nuclear, biological, chemical and missile-related control lists), this Catalogue sets forth technologies that otherwise warrant control, including on grounds of national security, public interests, environmental protection, etc.[1]
The Catalogue is structured in accordance with the industry classification issued by China’s National Bureau of Statistics, with the controlled technologies listed by category under each industry with a code assigned to the category. Before the revision, the Catalogue contained 150 categories/codes of technologies related to 34 industries, including 33 prohibited categories and 117 restricted categories. The controlled technologies include techniques related to China’s indigenous cultural and natural resources (e.g. manufacturing techniques of certain tea, alcohol, food and Chinese medicine, certain panda nurturing techniques) as well as technologies that are important to safeguarding China’s economic interests and national security.
The revision this time removed 4 categories of “prohibited” technologies and 5 categories of “restricted” technologies, while adding 23 new categories of “restricted” technologies. Moreover, changes were made to 21 existing categories with respect to the nature and parameters of the specific technology covered. Those newly added include technologies related to encryption, cyber defense, metal 3D printing, aero remote sensors, UAVs, lasers, major power and petrochemical facilities, etc.