US Blacklists Drone Giant DJI as China's Own Tech Ambitions Falter

Washington Grounds a Chinese Tech Giant

The US telecommunications regulator is escalating its crackdown on Chinese technology, adding Shenzhen-based DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, to a list of companies deemed to pose “unacceptable risks” to national security. The move effectively bars the approval of new DJI models and all other foreign drones, marking what sources call a significant escalation in a policy that gained momentum under the Trump administration.

A Setback in the New Space Race

As Washington tightens its grip, China is facing its own internal technology hurdles. On Tuesday, December 23, the debut launch of the Long March 12A, China's first state-owned reusable rocket, ended in a setback when the recovery of its first stage failed. This is the second such failure in a single month.

According to reporting from the South China Morning Post, the repeated failures could put China's reusable rocket program as much as 10 years behind the US, where companies like SpaceX have mastered the technology. The incident highlights the persistent gap between China's state-led ambitions and the privately-driven innovation ecosystem in the US.

The Taiwan Question Looms

These technological and economic confrontations are unfolding against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tension over Taiwan. Analysts are closely examining Beijing's recent policy announcements, military posturing, and the creation of a new commemoration day for signs that its tone on “peaceful reunification” may be shifting towards one of greater urgency.