China opposes US DeepSeek ban as civilian agency restrictions become public
Beijing objected on 20 October to a US order covering DeepSeek products and tools built with its technology on federal civilian agency systems.
China's foreign ministry opposed the US restriction on DeepSeek on 20 October, a day after Washington made public an order barring its technology from federal civilian agency systems. The response brings a new diplomatic dispute to a restriction that, according to the BBC, had already taken effect at the end of July.
Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China opposed what it called the overstretching of national security and the politicisation of science, technology and trade, according to an AFP report published by The Straits Times. The ministry said it would protect the rights and interests of Chinese businesses.
Which US agencies and tools are covered
The Department of Homeland Security made the order public on 19 October. It applies to federal civilian agencies, including the Treasury, State and Justice departments, and reaches third-party products and services built using DeepSeek's technology. Department of Defense agencies are excluded, the BBC and CNBC reported. DHS can direct civilian agencies, but its authority under this order does not extend to military or intelligence services, according to AFP.
CNBC reported that the order, issued on 24 July, also prevents civilian agencies from procuring DeepSeek products and services. Agencies may request exceptions, including more time to comply, by submitting a written justification to DHS within 60 days of its issuance. The public disclosure therefore follows the order's issuance and its reported effective date; it is not the start of a newly announced agency-wide transition.
The order's public disclosure was covered in NewsJaws' earlier report on the [US order to remove DeepSeek products](/news/deepseek-federal-civilian-agencies-removal-order). China's 20 October objection is the subsequent development.
Why Washington restricted DeepSeek
DHS said DeepSeek's models presented multiple threat vectors and warned that use by government employees or vendors could transfer sensitive data to China. Those are the department's stated security concerns; the published accounts do not establish that such a transfer occurred. CNBC also reported that DHS cited potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the models.
The restrictions add to earlier measures affecting the company's tools within the US government. CNBC reported that Congress restricted DeepSeek use in intelligence community systems in December 2025. It also cited earlier restrictions in Commerce Department bureaus and a reported Defense Information Systems Agency block. Those measures involved different parts of government from the civilian agency order now at the centre of China's objection.
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Sources and context
- China opposes ban on use of DeepSeek by US government agenciesThe Straits Times (AFP report)
- DeepSeek banned from US government in race with China for AI dominanceBBC News
- U.S. bans DeepSeek from government agency systems amid AI rift with ChinaCNBC
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.