US-China Relations Updates

Reuters, October 19 – Chinese export controls on germanium and gallium have halted shipments for two consecutive months. Customs data released on Friday revealed that export restrictions on Chinese germanium and its derivatives have hindered the international transportation of metals used in chip manufacturing. For instance, the export of forged germanium in September was recorded as “1 kilogram,” while it was “0” in August, marking a breakthrough from zero to one. Comparing it to the shipment volume of 5.57 tons in 2022, it can be concluded that China’s export controls have started to show effectiveness.

Germanium and gallium derivatives have wide applications in chip manufacturing, military equipment, air force radar, and precision-guided weapons. Chinese export controls effectively block the cutting-edge technologies in these fields for the United States. Previously, the United States constantly threatened to decouple from China, and now China has granted their wish by imposing export restrictions based on the periodic table. In the end, without sufficient strength, it won’t work. Over time, with depleted inventories, the cutting-edge technologies of the United States are indeed at risk of facing problems!