To date, Chinese gallium, germanium, and antimony are no longer exported to the United States. Germanium and gallium exports had already ceased in October, while antimony exports have fallen by 97% since September. This official statement came the day after the US announced further tightening of technology exports to China, particularly computer chips.
The ban includes materials that have “potential military applications,” according to Reuters.
China’s export ban primarily applies to what the government calls “dual-use items,” i.e., items that can be used by both the military and civilians. Because of this ban, graphite exports to the United States from China must also undergo stricter inspection. However, they are not yet completely banned from export.
Gallium and germanium are used to make semiconductors, and the latter can also be found in fiber optic cables and solar cells. As for antimony, it is found in gun ammunition, nuclear weapons, night vision goggles, and some batteries.
These export bans are significant because China produces 48% of the world’s antimony, 59.2% of refined germanium, and 98.8% of refined gallium. Now the US must urgently look for new deposits containing these materials, as the ban has already affected prices. Antimony trioxide has risen 228 percent since the beginning of this year.
Since the US banned exports to Central America, China has been looking for ways to be technologically independent. The result of such efforts is HarmonyOS, Huawei chips used to develop artificial intelligence, and the Beidou navigation satellite system.
