Huawei's latest smartphone chip isn't as advanced as American technology, according to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. This statement comes amidst ongoing tensions between the US and China over technological dominance.
Huawei, a major Chinese tech company, surprised the industry last August with the Mate 60 Pro, a phone powered by a chip seen as a symbol of China's advancements. However, Raimondo downplays its significance.
"The export controls are working," Raimondo said in a CBS News interview. "That chip is not nearly as good...it's years behind what we have in the United States."
The US has been restricting the sale of advanced chips and chip-making equipment to China for years, fearing their use for military purposes. Huawei, placed on a US trade blacklist in 2019 over spying concerns, has become a focal point of this tech war.
The US pressured companies like Intel to stop supplying Huawei, but some licenses have been granted to continue certain sales. This has angered some US lawmakers who advocate for a tougher stance on China.
Raimondo defended her approach, stating, "I hold businesses accountable... When I tell them they can't sell their semiconductors to China, they don't love that, but I do that."
The US government is reportedly reviewing details of the Mate 60 Pro's chip, but specifics remain unclear.