China Restricts Overseas API Access to Its AI Models

China's Cyberspace Administration ordered Alibaba, ByteDance and Baidu to cut overseas API access to models including Qwen, Doubao and ERNIE. Foreign customers are moved to a reduced "compliant access tier", while new foreign entities are denied access entirely.

• Restrictions target API access, not open model weights
• Alibaba, ByteDance, Baidu and Tencent were briefed at a closed meeting
• Existing foreign customers move to a reduced access tier
• New foreign entities will be denied access entirely