US Vows Action on Huawei's Chip Breakthrough Amid National Security Concerns

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has pledged to take the "strongest possible" action to protect national security in response to a recent chipmaking breakthrough by China's Huawei Technologies. Raimondo expressed concern over Huawei's development of a smartphone with an advanced processor, which challenges Apple's iPhone and demonstrates Huawei's production capabilities. The US has blacklisted Huawei and is under pressure to fully cut off both Huawei and its partner Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. from American suppliers. Raimondo did not confirm a formal investigation but stated that her department is probing the "purported" 7-nanometer chip. China criticized the US for abusing export-control measures and urged the US to fulfill its pledge not to contain China.