Gallium and germanium will be subject to export controls starting August 1 “to protect national security and interests,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement Monday.
Gallium and germanium are used in a variety of products, including computer chips and solar panels.
Beijing’s move comes just days after the Dutch government announced new restrictions on exports of some semiconductor equipment, drawing an angry response from Beijing, according to Reuters.
The new rules mean that ASML (ASML), Europe’s largest tech firm, will need to apply for export licenses for products used to make microchips.
Critics of the decision “could ask the US government why it holds the world’s largest germanium mines but seldom exploits them.
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Janet Yellen, Yellen, — Olesya Dmitracova
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