BOSTON (AP) — The U.S. government has imposed new restrictions on Chinese tech giant Huawei's ability to use American technology, stepping up a conflict with Beijing over industry development and security.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Friday that Washington wants to prevent Huawei from evading sanctions imposed earlier on its use of American technology to design and produce semiconductors abroad.

"There has been a very highly technical loophole through which Huawei has been able to in effect use U.S. technology," Ross told Fox Business. "We never intended that loophole to be there."

Hua...