Washington CORE recently spoke with Angela Luna, Technology & Innovation Policy Analyst at the American Action Forum, to examine the expanding role of U.S. export controls in the technology competition with China. As policymakers move beyond advanced semiconductors to consider cloud computing, semiconductor-manufacturing equipment, chip diversion, and access to AI models, Luna discussed both the strategic value and limitations of using export controls to maintain U.S. technological leadership.

The conversation explored efforts to close existing loopholes, the compliance and economic costs facing U.S. companies, and the challenges of coordinating restrictions with key allies such as Japan and the Netherlands. Luna emphasized that export controls can make access to critical technologies more difficult and costly, but cannot stop China’s technological development altogether.

The interview highlights Washington CORE’s ability to engage policy experts on rapidly evolving issues at the intersection of technology, economic security, and geopolitics. It also underscores a central takeaway: export controls are most effective when they buy time for continued investment in U.S. computing capacity, talent, research, infrastructure, and innovation.

Read the full insights article here.