US adds 25 Chinese companies to trade blacklist including Zhipu AI and Sophgo

The US has added 25 Chinese companies, including Zhipu AI and Sophgo, to its trade blacklist. Zhipu AI is accused of supporting China's military AI research, while Sophgo denies any links to Huawei, which is already restricted by the US. The US has also tightened export controls on advanced chips and memory technologies to China. These new rules specifically target chips made at 14 or 16-nanometer nodes or smaller, impacting global manufacturers like TSMC and Samsung. Zhipu AI claims the US decision is unfounded and will not significantly affect its operations. Sophgo maintains it has no business ties with Huawei, asserting it has never engaged with the company.