Republican lawmakers have expressed their criticism towards the Biden administration following the announcement by Chinese telecoms equipment company Huawei that it has launched a new laptop powered by an Intel AI chip. In 2019, the United States placed Huawei on a trade restriction list due to violations of Iran-related sanctions, as part of an effort to curb China's technological advancements. This listing requires Huawei's U. S. suppliers to obtain a special license before shipping any products to the company. Intel has been granted such a license by the previous Trump administration, allowing them to deliver central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. Although China hardliners had called for the Biden administration to revoke this license, it is expected to expire later this year without renewal. The unveiling of Huawei's AI-enabled laptop, the MateBook X Pro, which is powered by Intel's new Core Ultra 9 processor, has shocked and angered Republican lawmakers.

They believe that this suggests the Commerce Department has approved shipments of the new chip to Huawei. Representative Elise Stefanik criticized the Biden administration on social media, stating that the laptop's introduction highlights the Commerce Department's approval of the chip shipments to Huawei, suggesting a compromise to national security. Stefanik called this situation unacceptable, accusing the administration of undermining U. S. national security by allowing Huawei access to advanced American technology. The Commerce Department, Huawei, and Intel declined to comment on the matter. Representative Michael McCaul also echoed Stefanik's concerns, emphasizing the need to cease approvals for Huawei. He expressed frustration, as he was previously informed that licenses to Huawei would be terminated, but it appears that the policy remains unchanged. According to a source familiar with the issue, these chips were shipped under an existing license and are not affected by recent restrictions on AI chip shipments to China. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper and Karen Freifeld; Editing by Leslie Adler)