BEIJING: China suspended an export ban to the United States that had targeted gallium, germanium and antimony, metals crucial for modern technology, including semiconductors, Beijing’s commerce ministry announced on Sunday (Nov 9).
The restrictions banned the export of so-called “dual-use” goods, materials that can have both civilian and military applications.
Imposed in December 2024, the ban will now be suspended until Nov 27, 2026, Beijing’s commerce ministry said in a statement.
The announcement comes after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met on October 30 in South Korea and agreed to walk back some punitive measures imposed during their tit-for-tat tariff escalation.
At one point, duties on both sides reached prohibitive triple-digit levels, hampering trade between the world’s two largest economies and snarling global supply chains.
Throughout the trade war, China has sought to leverage its chokehold over the critical minerals underpinning everything from smartphones to advanced military technology.
