After threatening AI export bans, China allows DeepSeek to keep selling

China has proposed to restrict export of some AI technologies but quickly moved to allow some of its champion companies to continue shipping their wares abroad.

Beijing’s Ministry of Commerce announced the restrictions in mid-October by revising its Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited and Restricted from Export in China. The restrictions mean that Chinese companies must apply for a license to export their tech.

New entrants on the list included “23 technologies related to large-scale models, intelligent agents, computing clusters, and information processing.” Tech issued under open source licenses is exempt from the restrictions.

Last Friday, Chinese state media reported that two companies – named elsewhere as DeepSeek and MiniMax – received authorization to continue exports.

Both companies are credible challengers to American AI vendors, so letting them sell their wares abroad meets China’s goals of creating export industries and enhancing its tech sector.

The expanded Catalogue also gives Beijing the ability to stop exports of any AI it feels represents …