Donald Trump’s administration has suspended the publication of an expanded US trade blacklist, which was due to include the Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek, the memory manufacturer ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and over 100 other entities deemed a potential threat to national security. According to Reuters, these companies had already been approved by the inter-agency committee responsible for recommending additions to the so-called Entity List, but the decisions have not yet been published.
The Entity List is one of the most important tools of US export policy. Companies on the list have very limited access to US technologies, software and components. In practice, obtaining the required export licence is often impossible.
DeepSeek is attracting particular attention. The Chinese start-up gained global prominence in early 2025 when it unveiled an AI model which, according to many observers, significantly reduced the costs of developing advanced artificial intelligence systems. US institutions and technology firms, including OpenAI and Anthropic, have publicly expressed concerns about the company’s activities, pointing, amongst other things, to attempts to acquire technology and the capabilities of models developed by US competitors.
Also on the waiting list is CXMT, China’s largest DRAM manufacturer. For months, the company has been at the centre of US discussions regarding efforts to curb the development of China’s semiconductor sector.
According to Reuters sources, the reason for the delays is a desire to avoid further escalation of tensions between Washington and Beijing. Both sides remain embroiled in a dispute over technology, trade and access to key raw materials used, amongst other things, in the production of chips and defence systems.
Experts point out that the United States has not published any new entries on the Entity List since October last year, marking the longest such hiatus in over a decade. Critics of the current policy argue that these delays may undermine the effectiveness of US export controls in the field of advanced technologies.
