China brings in new export controls on hi-tech products amid ongoing rivalry with US
- Key technologies covering areas such as laser radars, drones and biotechnology will be subject to export bans or restrictions with immediate effect
- The move comes in the wake of US controls on certain products, particularly relating to chips, that could be used by China for military purposes
China has slapped fresh export controls on key technologies, including laser radars, drones and biotechnology products.
It comes amid an intensifying technological rivalry with the United States and some of its allies that has led to tighter export controls on certain products – particularly those related to advanced artificial intelligence chips – “because they could be used for military uses and modernisation”.
An updated catalogue of technologies facing export bans and restrictions was issued on Thursday jointly by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Commerce. It takes effect immediately.
In July Beijing imposed export restrictions on two critical elements – gallium and germanium and several of their compounds – in retaliation for earlier measures targeting the Chinese semiconductor industry.
The latest export controls are intended to “safeguard national security, the public interest or public morality”, the ministries said.
Other reasons cited included “protecting the health or safety of humans, animals and plants and the environment”, as well as complying with domestic laws or international treaties and agreements.
Technology for the extraction, processing, refining and use of rare earth metals – one of China’s essential tools in the tech war – also remain subject to export controls.
China accounts for over 70 per cent the world’s output of these metals, which are key to making some electronic items and military equipment, and has a monopoly on some processing capacities.
The ministries in their notice specifically mentioned that “dual-use technologies [that can be used] for both military and civilian purposes shall be included in the export control management”.
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New technological categories that did not feature in a list issued in 2020 are also included in the latest controls. These include laser radars, crop hybridisation, human cell cloning and gene editing, as well as bulk cargo handling.
The notice specified that laser radars that have a certain power, pulse width, detection range, accuracy or resolution must not be freely exported. It also retains restrictions on technologies used to make deep-ultraviolet lasers, as well as some key single crystals.
The list also expands several existing categories, including other drone technologies.
The new controls also include technology used to make optical/infrared sensors, synthetic aperture radars and laser radars, and other critical items used in unmanned aerial vehicles.
In addition, UAV flight control systems as well as algorithms and software for autonomous navigation, path planning and obstacle avoidance also face restrictions.
Notably the finalised list has removed “manufcaturing technology for photovoltaic silicon wafer”, which was included in a draft proposal issued in January. China dominates the global solar wafer industry with about 97 per cent of production.
