China Allows Limited Export of Gallium and Germanium Amid Export Controls

China has announced that while it is imposing export controls on rare minerals such as gallium and germanium for national security reasons, it is permitting exports for some items that comply with the regulations.

On the 21st, He Yadong, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, stated at a briefing, "Since the formal implementation of the control policy, the Ministry of Commerce has continuously received export permit applications from companies related to gallium and germanium products," adding, "Currently, we have already approved some applications that meet the regulations."

Spokesperson He said, "The Ministry of Commerce is reviewing other permit applications according to regulations and procedures and will make permit decisions."

Since the 1st of last month, China has enforced export controls that prohibit the export of gallium and germanium-related items without permits, citing 'national security protection.' Gallium and germanium are used in products such as semiconductors, solar panels, lasers, and night vision devices.

China Bloomberg News, citing research from the European Union (EU), reported that China accounts for 94% and 83% of the global supply of gallium and germanium, respectively. According to foreign media including Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP), Chinese companies exported gallium and germanium-related products worth $121 million (approximately 160 billion KRW) in July, before the export controls began. This represented a 12.1% increase compared to the previous month and a 22.7% increase compared to the same month last year, with analysis suggesting that transactions surged to secure supply before the regulation took effect. However, major foreign media reported that exports were zero last month after the controls were implemented.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.