China has immediately retaliated against the US following new export curbs that the Biden administration announced Monday, which restrict a wider range of Chinese businesses from accessing any foreign products that include even a single US-made chip.
On Tuesday, China's Ministry of Commerce punched back, announcing a ban that takes effect immediately on "exports of 'dual-use items' related to gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials to the US," Reuters reported. Such "dual-use items" cover goods and technologies used for civil or military purposes, while the rare-earth metals are critical to tech manufacturing.
"In principle, the export of gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials to the United States shall not be permitted," China's ministry said.
The retaliation was not unexpected. Experts previously told Ars that the US risked losing access to rare-earth metals critical to manufacturing a wide range of popular products if it placed any new trade restrictions on China. And yesterday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian warned at a press conference that China would "take measures to safeguard the rights and interests of its firms."
Citing "safeguarding national security and interests," China's ministry also "requires a stricter review of end-usage for graphite dual-use items." That potentially limits US access to a common coating material used in everything from power cables to nuclear reactors.
Sasquatchii on December 4th, 2024 at 02:47 UTC »
Where else are these materials available?
Isares on December 4th, 2024 at 02:14 UTC »
Good. China is playing the same game that Republicans claim Trump is playing. If he's going to start with an unreasonable trade negotiating position, your trade partners are going to call your bluff and play the same game.
I would speculate that this is a two pronged play by China. Not only is this meant to be a hedge against Trump's proposed tariffs, it's also an attack on the Tech industty and the Military Industrial Complex, both of whom will be exerting political pressure to get this lifted.
ProgrammerPoe on December 4th, 2024 at 01:54 UTC »
Good, the faster we build up domestic or at least friendshore alternatives the better