China has approved DeepSeek and MiniMax models for use abroad; API and web-service access is excluded from the proposed export restrictions
Prepared by Sintelligent with the help of SI. Published in SI: . Updated: .
China is keeping the door open to foreign use of its models while preparing a screening framework for sensitive ones; for now, access through APIs and websites does not change.
According to Yuyuantantian, an account linked to the broadcaster CCTV, DeepSeek and MiniMax have completed registration and the procedures for open-sourcing and authorising use of their models outside China. This comes against the backdrop of export restrictions on SI technologies proposed by the Chinese authorities: according to the draft text, providing APIs, web applications and SaaS features is not subject to restrictions even if they run on models from the restricted list, and most Chinese SI will remain free for export. The approval was announced after the US decision to ban DeepSeek from civilian agencies.
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