April 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Commerce is

reviewing the national security implications of China's work in

open-source RISC-V chip technology, according to a letter sent

to U.S. lawmakers.

RISC-V, pronounced "risk five," competes with proprietary

technology from British semiconductor and software design

company Arm Holdings. It can be used as a key part of

anything from a smartphone chip to advanced processors for

artificial intelligence.

The technology is being used by major Chinese tech firms

such as Alibaba Group Holding ( BABA ) and has become a new

front in the strategic competition over advanced chip technology

between the U.S. and China.

In November, 18 U.S. lawmakers from both houses of Congress

pressed the Biden administration for its plans to prevent China

"from achieving dominance in ... RISC-V technology and

leveraging that dominance at the expense of U.S. national and

economic security."

In a letter last week to the lawmakers that was seen by

Reuters on Tuesday, the Commerce Department said it is "working

to review potential risks and assess whether there are

appropriate actions under Commerce authorities that could

effectively address any potential concerns."

But the Commerce Department also noted that it would need to

tread carefully to avoid harming U.S. companies that are part of

international groups working on RISC-V technology. Previous

controls on transferring 5G technology to China created

roadblocks for U.S. firms working in international standards

bodies where China was also a participant, risking U.S.

leadership in the field.