BEIJING / RankWire.AI / – On Wednesday, China announced additional measures aimed at the United States, including tighter restrictions on exports related to drones and the prohibition of business dealings with seven American organizations. These regulations came into effect on August 5. China’s Ministry of Commerce clarified that exporters now require approval for controlled drones, their major parts, and associated technologies headed for the United States. The new directives do not stop all Chinese drone exports; instead, they subject relevant products to more rigorous case-by-case scrutiny within China’s existing dual-use export control framework.
Simplified licensing procedures for shipments covered under these controls are no longer permitted for exports to the U.S. market. Before approval, Chinese authorities will assess each product, buyer, end user, and intended application. Existing regulations already regulate certain drone engines, sensors, communication systems, and equipment intended to counter unmanned aircraft. China has also banned companies from exporting civilian drones for military use. The latest measures introduce a specific review process for controlled drone products and technologies destined for the United States.
Furthermore, Beijing has prohibited Chinese organizations and individuals from conducting transactions with six U.S. entities. These include Applied DNA Sciences, Stratum Reservoir, Altana Technologies, the Responsible Business Alliance, Verité Group, and Human Rights in China. Officials in China linked these restrictions to U.S. measures concerning alleged forced labor in Xinjiang. An additional order targeted Compliance Testing LLC, an Arizona-based testing firm, which China claims supported Federal Communications Commission actions impacting Chinese technology companies.
Drone restrictions part of broader strategic measures
China has also initiated a national security review into imported printers, copiers, and multifunctional office devices. This investigation applies to equipment utilizing operating systems, drivers, or embedded software developed or maintained by foreign firms. The Ministry of Commerce will evaluate import volumes, domestic demand, reliance on supply, and security concerns. During this process, authorities may employ questionnaires, public hearings, factory inspections, and commissioned studies. Regulations permit the review to last up to 12 months, with potential extensions under exceptional circumstances.
A separate decision altered inspection protocols under China’s compulsory product certification system. The State Administration for Market Regulation has barred designated Chinese certification bodies from assigning follow-up factory inspections to U.S. organizations, which previously helped maintain certification for products sold within China. Manufacturers are now required to engage with other approved inspection providers when factory reviews are mandated. This order does not revoke existing certifications, nor does it impose a blanket ban on American products entering China.
Beijing attributes recent U.S. restrictions as motivation
China connected these countermeasures to recent actions by the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The FCC has limited approvals for certain new foreign-made drones and key components entering the U.S. market. Additionally, U.S. authorities expanded restrictions under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act by adding 43 Chinese entities to its enforcement list on July 31. Products linked to these entities are presumed to face entry restrictions into the United States.
The Chinese government described the response as measured and called on Washington to rescind the restrictions mentioned in its announcement. The regulations concerning drone exports, entity restrictions, and certification procedures took effect immediately, while the investigation into office equipment began on August 5. None of the measures explicitly names a specific Chinese drone manufacturer or bans all drone exports to the U.S. Instead, they target controlled products, certain American organizations, and foreign-linked software used in imported office devices.