China Suspends Export Bans on Critical Minerals to the U.S.

Suspension of Export Ban on Critical Minerals from China to the U.S.

China has announced the suspension of export bans on critical minerals such as gallium, germanium, and antimony, as well as superhard metals to the U.S.

According to a statement from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the decision regarding the export of products with dual-use for military and civilian purposes to the U.S. defense industry was set to take effect on December 3, 2024. However, this implementation has been suspended until November 27, 2026.

No Permission for Critical Minerals and Metals

Within the framework of these measures, it was stated that the export of critical minerals and superhard metals such as gallium, germanium, and antimony, which are widely used in defense and weapon systems, would "not be permitted in principle" to the U.S. Furthermore, the export of materials such as graphite, which plays an important role in battery and fuel cell production, will also be controlled.

China's Move in Response to U.S. Chip Restrictions

This move by the Beijing administration came after the additional restrictions in the chip sector during the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden. The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security had imposed export restrictions on 24 types of chip production equipment and software necessary for semiconductor development on December 2, 2024.

Mutual Delays of U.S. and China Disputes

The last meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping took place on October 30 in Busan, South Korea. If the parties agree to postpone critical economic and trade disputes, this could reduce tensions between the two countries. The U.S. had decided to delay the "entity list" application by one year on September 29, while China had decided to postpone the export measures on rare earth elements for one year on October 9.