China Adds Battery and Gallium Extraction Tech to Export Control List

China’s Ministry of Commerce has expanded its export controls, adding advanced battery technology and processes used to extract gallium metal to the list of items requiring government approval. The decision, announced 15 July, tightens Beijing’s grip over materials and know-how critical to electric-vehicle batteries, semiconductors and defence applications. The move follows reports that the government is reviewing restrictions on more than 2,000 strategic mineral products, including rare-earth elements for which China accounts for about 70 percent of global output. Industry officials in South Korea, the United States and Europe have warned that further curbs could disrupt supply chains already strained by Washington’s 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods introduced in April. Gallium is a key input for high-frequency chips and military radar, while the newly restricted battery technologies cover high-energy-density chemistries used by electric-vehicle makers. Exporters must now seek licences, and officials have not specified when, or under what conditions, shipments will be approved. Analysts say the rules give Beijing additional leverage as trade tensions escalate, forcing import-dependent nations to accelerate efforts to diversify supply.