WASHINGTON – With days in power numbered, the Trump administration’s Commerce Department advanced Thursday with rules to allow the U.S. to block purchases of communications technology from China and five other countries considered foreign adversaries.
The rules will not go into effect for 60 days, leaving a decision on how and whether to proceed with the effort in the administration of President-elect Joe Biden. Biden advisers have said they intend to limit U.S. reliance on Chinese technology, but the incoming team has not set specific policies.
“The rules are reasonable,” said a senior administration official, who added that he believed the incoming administration “will see the need for them.” A Biden spokesman declined to comment.
Along with China, the trade named Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Maduro’s government of Venezuela as foreign adversaries. Shipments of hardware, software and other communications equipment from these countries could be blocked under the new rules, as they posed a national security risk.
Under the proposal, Commerce would have 180 days to decide whether to allow sales or whether it needed modifications to a transaction.