Beijing, China - China's Ministry of Commerce has released a draft plan for export limits on 40 key technologies in artificial intelligence, photovoltaics, and biomedicine.

The export of 14 of these technologies is to be banned, while the other 26 will require approval. The new bans and approval requirements have not yet been finalized. Comments can be submitted until November 15. 

However, since the announcement was published on Friday, companies have been required to register affected technology transfers. Such transfers include selling intellectual property rights and granting licenses abroad.

The focus is on 23 AI technologies. These include methods for large AI models and AI agents, which perform tasks largely autonomously. Further plans concern manufacturing processes for solar cells and techniques for cell and gene therapies.

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Access to AI services via apps and websites is to remain exempt from the new export limits, according to the ministry. This also applies to AI technologies that are already publicly available. 

In solar technology, individual production facilities are covered, but finished solar modules will not fall under the planned controls.

The Ministry of Commerce cited security risks. AI could be used for attacks on important infrastructure. Solar technology is also used in space and defense. The measures are not aimed at specific countries or companies.

China had already restricted certain processes for making battery materials and extracting lithium in 2025. Approval requirements were also introduced for certain rare earths and products made from them. 

The new move falls into the technology rivalry with the US, which in turn controls exports of advanced AI chips to China.