For the past four years, Alan Estevez has been finding new obstacles to place in China’s path as it tries to use US technology to develop cutting-edge chips and artificial intelligence.

“We’re running down the alley throwing garbage cans,” Estevez told the Financial Times on his penultimate day as under-secretary of commerce for industry and security in Joe Biden’s administration.

Estevez conceded that US policy could do no more than slow China since it had smart engineers, money to invest and government support. But he said Washington had been successful, pointing to statements from Chinese AI groups identifying US export controls as their main obstacle.

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