US-China Relations Updates

On October 20, 2023, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement regarding the optimization and adjustment of temporary export control measures for graphite items: Highly sensitive spherical graphite items are included in the export control list, while low-sensitive graphite items have their export control lifted, effective from December 1. The Ministry of Commerce explained that this decision was made to fulfill non-proliferation obligations, maintain national security, and ensure the stability of the industrial chain, without targeting any third party.

Note: This pertains to “graphite” and not “graphene”; they are fundamentally different. Graphite and its derivatives are important strategic resources used in weapon production, electric vehicle power batteries, nuclear power equipment, and more. Both Hamas rockets and precision-guided bombs in the United States rely on this material.

China’s main objectives are twofold:

1. Protecting children in Gaza: Isn’t the United States and Israel seeking to escalate the war? Or continue indiscriminate airstrikes in the Gaza Strip and then whitewash it? Sorry, export controls are in place. Without this critical item, your bombs may not be able to be produced or may degrade. How about fighting Hamas with sticks and stones? Shouting, crying, begging, and demonstrating to protect the children in Gaza have proven ineffective. The key lies in materials and technology! China has the technology, the world relies on China, and China can export its values.
2. Optimizing development and ensuring national security: Recently, the United States and the European Union want to investigate Chinese electric vehicles and impose tariffs, right? And the United States, Europe, Japan, and South Korea want to establish their own production lines, don’t they? I won’t provide you with the key materials, let’s see how you can produce. Combining it with the first objective, my purpose is to protect children in Gaza, safeguard human rights. As for any collateral damage, that’s your own concern.