The list of companies that are barred from buying American technology and other exports because of national security concerns was expanded by the Trump administration on March 25, reports the New York Times.

The Trump administration added 80 companies and organizations, primarily Chinese firms, to the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry Security’s entity list in an attempt to crack down on companies that have been big buyers of American chips from Nvidia, Intel and AMD. It also closed loopholes that Trump administration officials have long criticized as allowing Chinese firms to continue to advance technologically despite U.S. restrictions.

The Trump administration added 54 companies and organizations from China to the entity list on March 25, as well as more than two dozen from Iran, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.

“We are committed to using every tool at the Department’s disposal to ensure our most advanced technologies stay out of the hands of those who seek to harm Americans,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. “At the same time, we will continue to drive American innovation, ensuring that our nation’s economic strength remains unparalleled.”  

The added entities had made contributions to Pakistani nuclear activities and its missile program, advanced China’s quantum technology capabilities and hypersonic weapons development, and tried to circumvent U.S. controls on Iran, among other actions, the administration said.