US sanctions against Chinese supercomputer centres may have limited impact, observers say | South China Morning Post

New US sanctions will cut supplies of the most advanced hardware China needs to develop the world's fastest computers, but their impact on the country's military technology may be limited, observers say. The US Department of Commerce on Thursday blacklisted seven Chinese centres or entities involved in China's next-generation supercomputer programme, alleging the technology could serve military purposes, such as to develop nuclear and hypersonic weapons. They now need approval to trade with American companies. Supercomputers play an important role in advanced weapons development - they can be used to test the aerodynamics of a hypersonic glider or to simulate…