Kristina Roberts
In early June 2025, the United States made a big decision. It stopped some American companies from sending important parts and tools used in nuclear power plants to China. This decision is part of a growing fight between the two countries over trade and technology. The U.S. government told companies that their special permissions, called export licenses, had been taken away. These permissions allowed them to sell nuclear-related items to China, but now those sales have been blocked.
Two major companies affected by this are Westinghouse and Emerson. Westinghouse makes technology that helps nuclear reactors work. In fact, their technology is used in over 400 reactors around the world. Emerson creates tools that help measure and control things inside nuclear power stations. Both companies are now facing problems because they can’t continue their business with China like they used to. Experts say this move could affect business deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
This is not happening all of a sudden. It is part of a long trade fight between the U.S. and China. On May 12, both countries tried to calm things down by agreeing to pause their tariff war for 90 days. But things did not go as planned. The U.S. later said China broke promises about rare earth materials, which are important for making many high-tech products. At the same time, China said the U.S. was using unfair rules and was angry about a warning that using Huawei’s AI chips could break American laws. This back-and-forth made things worse again.
Now, the U.S. is not just talking about taxes or tariffs. It is going further by stopping the flow of goods and tools. This includes not just nuclear parts, but other things too. For example, one major U.S. company that makes airplane engines has also been told to stop sending them to a Chinese plane maker. Another group that ships chemicals like ethane and butane also faced sudden rule changes. One company said it couldn’t send three important ethane shipments to China because its request was denied. Another company said it needed to ask for emergency permission to continue its business.
All of this is making life difficult for many industries. Chinese factories that rely on U.S. products are now stuck. They need to find new suppliers or pay more to get what they need. In the airplane industry, Chinese companies that build planes may not be able to finish them on time because they can’t get engines from the U.S. This could delay travel plans and make flights more expensive. Every part of this trade fight is touching more and more areas of business and people’s daily lives.
The U.S. government says it is looking at all the exports very carefully now. A government worker explained that they are checking which products are really important to national security. While the review is happening, some companies will not be allowed to send their products, and others may need to follow new, stricter rules. This means there could be even more changes coming soon.
In response, China has spoken up. A Chinese official said that during a phone call, the Chinese leader told the U.S. president that both sides should stick to the agreement made in May. The Chinese side said they are following the deal seriously and want the U.S. to do the same. But with the new bans and disagreements, it’s hard to tell if things will get better anytime soon.
This whole situation is not just about money. There are also concerns about national safety. The U.S. is worried that some Chinese companies might try to use American technology to build military weapons. A few years ago, a Chinese company was accused of trying to secretly take nuclear information. Because of this, the U.S. added that company to a list of groups that cannot buy from American companies anymore.
There are more restrictions too. The U.S. has made new rules to stop China from getting advanced computer chips and other technology used in artificial intelligence. Officials believe that if China gets access to this tech, it could use it to make stronger military systems. By cutting off this access, the U.S. hopes to protect itself and stay ahead in important technologies.
As the fight between the two countries continues, businesses all around the world are watching carefully. Many companies depend on smooth trade between the U.S. and China. If the fight keeps getting worse, it could cause big problems for the world’s economy. Factories might slow down, prices could go up, and people might lose their jobs. It’s a reminder that when two powerful countries clash, everyone else can feel the effects too.
It’s not clear what will happen next. Both the U.S. and China have strong reasons for what they are doing, and neither side wants to look weak. But at the same time, both countries also depend on each other for business and trade. Some people hope that leaders from both sides will talk again and find a way to solve their problems. Until then, many businesses and workers are stuck waiting and hoping for peace.
