DeepSeek and MiniMax reportedly complete export registration

Chinese state media reported that DeepSeek and MiniMax completed export-registration procedures, then proceeded with open-source releases and overseas licensing.[1] The report came from Yuyuan Tantian, a social-media account affiliated with China Central Television.[2] The account said the companies could continue their commercialization efforts as usual.[2] It published the post late on Thursday, October 22.[2] The report describes the companies’ registration and commercial activity; it does not say the proposed catalogue has formally taken effect.[1][3]

China’s commerce and science ministries proposed revising the catalogue of technologies prohibited or restricted from export.[3] Their draft changes cover 40 technologies across AI, biomedicine and solar photovoltaics.[3] The ministries opened the changes for public comment while introducing pre-export registration for covered technologies.[3] That temporary requirement applies from the announcement until the revised catalogue formally takes effect.[3] The proposed registration rules also cover transfers of technology ownership to overseas parties, including intellectual-property transfers, as well as licensing domestic technology for overseas use.[3]

The proposed changes cover 23 AI technologies, including large models, agents, computing clusters and information processing.[3] Technologies already in the public domain through open-source releases or academic publications are excluded from management under the proposed catalogue changes.[3] That exclusion is relevant when distinguishing a public release from a transfer or licence of technology that remains covered by the proposal.[3] The evidence does not specify how authorities would assess every mixed or partially open-source offering, so companies should avoid assuming that all components of a product share the same treatment.[3]

Yuyuan Tantian described the catalogue as a way to define boundaries rather than simply restrict AI exports.[2] The account also said API access, web applications and software-as-a-service features would not be subject to export restrictions, and that much of China’s AI would remain free for export.[2] At the same time, the proposed controls raised questions about whether Chinese AI companies would be restricted from expanding overseas.[1] Bloomberg reported that the draft proposal could restrict overseas transfers of AI models and chip designs.[4] Those statements describe a proposed framework, not a final catalogue.[3]