China assesses the possible consequences of the US proposal to strengthen control over the export of technology and will take the necessary measures to protect the legitimate interests of Chinese companies, an official from the Ministry of Commerce of China said on Thursday.

The US government on Monday proposed to tighten control over the export of technologies in 14 key high-tech areas, including in the field of artificial intelligence and the production of microprocessors. According to analysts, this initiative is directly against China.

The deadline for public comment on the proposal expires on December 19, follows from a document published in the US Federal Register on Monday.

Amid a heightened trade dispute, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of import duties on Chinese products worth $ 250 billion to force Beijing to make concessions and fulfill a number of Washington’s demands that will change the terms of trade between the two countries. China responded.

The US wants China to simplify market access and strengthen the protection of intellectual property of US companies, reduce the size of subsidies for the industrial sector and reduce the trade surplus with Washington, which currently stands at $ 375 billion.

The Trump administration said Tuesday that China had not changed its “dishonest” trade practices, heightening tensions in anticipation of a meeting between the US President and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which will be held later in November.

The relevant findings were made in the course of the investigation conducted by the US Trade Representative in section 301 of the Trade Act.

China is seriously concerned about the new findings and will not tolerate “groundless” charges, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce Gao Feng said at a weekly press conference.

During a meeting of the World Trade Organization on Wednesday, a US representative accused Beijing of using the WTO’s dispute resolution mechanism to pursue a “non-market” policy, while a Chinese official said Washington was breaking the rules of the game.