China Criticizes US Ban on DeepSeek AI Tools for Government Agencies

China has spoken out against a recent ban by the United States on its government agencies using AI tools from the Chinese company DeepSeek. This criticism came from Beijing on Tuesday, with officials claiming the ban goes too far in the name of national security.

The US Department of Homeland Security announced the ban on Monday, stating that products from DeepSeek and any tools made with its technology could risk sharing sensitive information with China. The department emphasized that these AI models could pose various security threats.

During a news conference, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, expressed strong opposition to the US decision. She stated that China would protect its businesses and criticized the US for politicizing issues related to science and technology.

While the Department of Homeland Security can issue guidelines for civilian agencies, it does not have authority over military or intelligence services. The ban is based on concerns that using DeepSeek’s AI tools could lead to sensitive data being transferred to China.

DeepSeek is known as one of China’s leading AI labs and gained attention in January 2025 with a cost-effective and high-performance chatbot. The company released an updated model earlier this month, continuing to challenge the US’s position in the AI industry.

Despite ongoing tensions, both countries agreed in September to establish a communication channel for AI-related incidents. This topic is likely to be discussed again when leaders from the US and China meet next month in Shenzhen.