China commerce ministry says it may use anti-espionage law after reported CIA targeting remarks
Published · Updated
What happened
China's Ministry of Commerce issued a public statement on September 14 after reported comments by CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis identifying Chinese companies in AI, semiconductors and biotechnology as intelligence targets. The ministry said such activity undermines fair competition and said China would use the Counter-Espionage Law and other legal measures to protect affected companies.
Why it matters
The statement links U.S.-China technology competition to Chinese legal enforcement in sectors with cross-border research, data handling and investment ties. For companies and research institutions, the immediate question is whether Chinese authorities now translate the warning into compliance notices, investigations or tighter controls on foreign engagement.
On September 14, China's Ministry of Commerce said it opposed what it described as expanded U.S. intelligence collection against Chinese firms in artificial intelligence, semiconductors and biotechnology. The statement followed reported remarks by CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis that named those sectors as intelligence targets. The ministry said Beijing would use the Counter-Espionage Law and other legal tools to protect Chinese companies' rights and interests, turning a public complaint into a possible enforcement and compliance issue for firms in sensitive sectors.
Watch for
Ministry of Commerce publication on or after 2026-09-15 of a compliance notice or Q&A referencing foreign espionage risks to biotech firms Ministry of State Security or a provincial state security bureau announcement by 2026-09-18 of a case, warning, or education campaign involving foreign-linked biotech or chip entities National People's Congress or State Council database publication by 2026-09-18 of any implementing interpretation tied to the Counter-Espionage Law for commercial or research entities U.S. Central Intelligence Agency or Office of the Director of National Intelligence clarification on or after 2026-09-15 addressing commercial-intelligence boundaries for AI, semiconductor, or biotechnology targets
Sources
- 商务部新闻发言人就美方涉对华间谍活动言论答记者问 · mofcom.gov.cn
- 商务部回应美方称将中国人工智能、芯片和生物技术列为情报目标 · yicai.com
Researched and written by AI from the sources listed, under published rules. How V³ Aware is made