WASHINGTON: The United States announced new export restrictions Monday targeting China’s ability to make advanced semiconductors, drawing swift condemnation from Beijing as competition deepens between the world’s two biggest economies.

The moves step up US efforts to tighten curbs on exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, aiming to hinder the country’s ability to make chips that can be used in advanced weapons systems and in artificial intelligence.

The announcement comes weeks before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, where he is expected to advance Washington’s hawkish stance on China.

“The United States has taken significant steps to protect our technology from being used by our adversaries in ways that threaten our national security,” said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in a statement.

He added that Washington will keep working with allies and partners “to proactively and aggressively safeguard our world-leading technologies and know-how so they aren’t used to undermine our national security.”

Beijing vowed Monday to defend its interests, with a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson saying the United States “abuses export control measures” and has “hindered normal economic and trade exchanges.”