️🇺🇸🇨🇳 Microsoft urges the Trump administration to abandon the proposed ban on Chinese optical technology used in American data centers, and warns that the restrictions could significantly slow down the expansion of the US computing infrastructure.
The proposed restrictions target Chinese optical transceivers, critical components that connect servers and other equipment inside massive data centers. US officials are investigating whether Chinese-made equipment could pose security risks including data theft, installation of malware or deliberate disruption.
China currently supplies about two-thirds of the global optical receiver market, making immediate replacement difficult. Microsoft and other technology companies argue that the component restriction could delay the construction of new data centers in the US and ultimately weaken American competitiveness in the field of advanced computing.