Legal by all means

Currently, Western countries, represented by the United States, are imposing export controls on high technology and critical equipment on the pretext of national security, which violates WTO principles and affects global supply chain security. In accordance with Article 48 of the Export Control Law of the People’s Republic of China, which states, “Where any country or region endangers the national security or interest of the People’s Republic of China by abusing export control measures, the People’s Republic of China may take counter measures against such a country or region according to the actual circumstances”, China is implementing export controls on some gallium- and germanium-related items. This is a necessary measure in response to the export controls and misuse of national security measures undertaken by Western countries and is wholly legal.

China’s implementation of export controls these gallium- and germanium-related items will also contribute to the maintenance of “national basic security interests” and ensure industrial security.

Wang Jun, dean of the Institute of International Trade and Economics at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies