The US Senate has overwhelmingly approved a sweeping package of legislation intended to boost America’s ability to compete with Chinese technology.

The measures authorise spending of about US$190 billion to strengthen US technology and research, along with $54 billion to increase US production of semiconductors and telecommunications equipment.

Around $2 billion of that money would be dedicated to chips used by automakers who have faced massive shortages, forcing them to make significant production cuts.

The bill must still pass the US House of Representatives –  but taking a hard line against China is one of the few bipartisan issues uniting a deeply divided Congress.

The bill also prohibits social media app TikTok from being downloaded on government devices and blocks the purchase of drones manufactured by companies backed by the Chinese Government.