U.S. DeepSeek Ban Draws China’s Sovereignty Charge

The U.S. government has barred DeepSeek products from civilian executive branch agencies’ information technology systems, citing the risk that China could access sensitive data. China called the restriction discriminatory and demanded that Washington withdraw it. The dispute over government systems and procurement has become another point of tension between the two countries.

What the Order Restricts

The order requires agencies to remove DeepSeek products, along with products from other firms that rely on the company’s open-source offerings. It also bars future acquisitions of those products. The Department of Homeland Security said China could gain access to sensitive U.S. data through DeepSeek and use it to “produce actionable intelligence.”

The government issued the order in July, it took effect this summer, and officials published it on Monday. It applies to civilian executive branch agencies’ information technology systems. The article did not specify a calendar date for publication or identify a year for the order’s issuance in July.

The restrictions put federal agencies’ use of DeepSeek and related products at the center of the dispute. U.S. officials cite potential exposure of sensitive information; China accuses the United States of using national security as a pretext to suppress Chinese companies. Their competing claims concern who can supply technology to U.S. agencies and what risks officials say that technology may create.

U.S. officials said China’s legal system gives its government extensive access to the infrastructure of Chinese companies. They said that access leaves the U.S. government vulnerable to exposure of sensitive information. The removal requirement covers DeepSeek products and products from other firms that rely on DeepSeek’s open-source offerings.

China’s Response

China’s Ministry of Commerce said the country had passed laws to protect cybersecurity and data privacy and ensure companies can comply with relevant laws worldwide. It called on the United States to “withdraw” the restrictive measures.

At a briefing on Tuesday, Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry, said, “China has consistently opposed the overgeneralization of the concept of national security and the politicization of science, technology and trade issues.” She added: “We will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.”

The Chinese government called the U.S. action discrimination “under the pretext of so-called national security.” Chinese officials said Washington was using what they called disingenuous security concerns to suppress Chinese companies. Those statements challenge the grounds for the order, while U.S. officials connect the restriction to the risk of access to sensitive government data.

The dispute comes amid competition between the United States and China for A.I. primacy. Some experts have likened that competition to the 20th-century nuclear arms race and described its stakes as potentially huge for humanity. The article identifies no demographic or cultural effects from the ban; the reported measures focus on agency technology systems, data exposure and future acquisitions.