By restricting the export of gallium and germanium — key elements in cutting-edge military technologies — China appears to have taken aim at the U.S. defense industry in its economic tit-for-tat with Washington.
But the impact of the latest curbs will likely be limited, experts say, as the United States is already looking for alternative supply chains.
Announced in early July and implemented on Aug. 1, Beijing’s export controls apply not only to gallium and germanium but also to their chemical compounds, including gallium nitride (GaN) and germanium dioxide, which are essential to the global supply chain for dual-use applications such as advanced semiconductors.