China drafts export limits on AI models and agents
China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology proposed an update to the country’s list of technologies that need permission to export.
October 16, 2026 · Government
China’s Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Science and Technology proposed an update to the country’s list of technologies that need permission to export. The draft covers 40 technologies, 23 of them in AI. It would bar the export of large models trained on sensitive national data and of AI agents built for defence or critical infrastructure, and could restrict very large models of 2 trillion parameters and up, along with chip design technology. It is a draft and could still change.
Why it matters to you: The US already limits AI chip exports to China. China moving to control its own models and know-how is another sign the AI world is splitting along national lines.
Source: PBS NewsHour (AP)
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