Don’t Turn Chip Controls Into Bargaining Chips

“Disciplined” isn’t the first word that pops into mind when describing US trade strategy. The White House has introduced a bizarre range of issues into tariff negotiations, from Brazilian politics to Southeast Asian border skirmishes. More worryingly, it has offered up concessions on US export controls — meant to block China’s access to advanced semiconductors critical to developing artificial intelligence — as part of broader trade talks. Blurring that line is a mistake.

Traditionally, US officials have sought to ring-fence technology controls from other trade issues, insisting they’re nonnegotiable. Now, according to media reports, the administration may be pausing new restrictions in hopes of cementing a US-China trade deal and a summit between the two nations’ leaders. American negotiators also recently lifted a ban on exports of chip design software and certain advanced semiconductors from Nvidia Corp., in exchange for China resuming rare earth exports to desperate US companies. Legislators and former national-security officials of both parties have called on the administration to reverse course.