The move comes after the launch of an artificially intelligent laptop sparked criticism from Republican lawmakers.
The United States has revoked some licenses that allow companies to ship products, such as chips, to sanctioned Chinese telecommunications equipment maker Huawei Technologies.
Some companies were notified Tuesday that their licenses were revoked effective immediately, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The move comes after last month's launch of Huawei's first AI-enabled laptop, the MateBook X Pro with Intel's new Core Ultra 9 processor.
The laptop launch drew criticism from Republican lawmakers, who said it suggested the U.S. Commerce Department had given Intel the green light to sell the chip to Huawei.
“We have revoked certain export licenses to Huawei,” the Commerce Department said in a statement, without specifying which ones it had withdrawn.
The move, first reported by Reuters, comes after concerted pressure from Republican China hawks in Congress who have been urging the Biden administration to take tougher steps to thwart Huawei.
“This action will bolster America's national security, protect American ingenuity, and diminish Communist China's ability to advance its technology,” Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik said in a statement.
Depending on which licenses were revoked, the move could also hurt Huawei, which still relies on Intel chips to power its laptops, and could hurt U.S. suppliers that do business with the company.
An Intel spokesman declined to comment.
Huawei did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Huawei was placed on a list of US trade restrictions in 2019 amid fears it could spy on Americans, part of a broader effort to hamper China's ability to bolster its military. Being added to the list means the company's suppliers must apply for a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping.
Still, Huawei suppliers have received billions of dollars worth of licenses to sell Huawei products and technology, including a particularly controversial authorization, issued by former President Donald Trump's administration, that has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in its laptops from 2020.
Qualcomm has sold older 4G chips to phones since receiving a license from US officials in 2020. In a regulatory filing earlier this month, Qualcomm said it did not expect to receive any more chip revenue from Huawei beyond this year.
However, Qualcomm still licenses its portfolio of 5G technologies to Huawei, which last year began using a 5G chip designed by its HiSilicon unit that most analysts believe is manufactured in violation of US sanctions. Qualcomm said in this month's filing that its patent agreement with Huawei expires at the beginning of Qualcomm's 2025 fiscal year and that it has entered into negotiations to renew the agreement.
Qualcomm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Critics argue that such licenses have contributed to the company's resurgence. Huawei surprised the industry last August with a new phone powered by a sophisticated chip made by Chinese chipmaker SMIC, despite US export restrictions imposed on both companies.
The phone helped Huawei's smartphone sales rise 64 percent year-on-year in the first six weeks of 2024, according to research firm Counterpoint. Its smart car components business has also contributed to Huawei's resurgence, with the company in 2023 posting its fastest revenue growth in four years.
