Beijing opposed on Tuesday a US government ban on its agencies using AI tools from Chinese startup DeepSeek, saying the move “overstretched” the concept of national security.
China and the United States are locked in a race for dominance in the fast-moving artificial intelligence sector, trading accusations of stealing AI technologies and jeopardising security in recent months.
The US Department of Homeland Security on Monday banned products developed by DeepSeek — and tools created using DeepSeek by third parties — saying they risked sharing sensitive data with China.
Beijing’s foreign ministry opposed the ban on Tuesday, vowing to protect Chinese businesses.
“China has consistently opposed the overstretching of the concept of national security and the politicisation of issues related to science, technology, and trade,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a news conference.
The Department of Homeland Security can issue directions to civilian agencies, but not the military or intelligence services.
Its statement on Monday said that “DeepSeek’s models present multiple threat vectors” and must be removed from IT devices.
Use of DeepSeek AI tools “may result in the transfer of sensitive data to (China) if used by US government employees or vendors,” the department warned.
