ALBAWABA – The United States (US) strongly opposes the recent export controls announced by the Chinese government on gallium and germanium, a Department of Commerce spokesperson said Wednesday.
The US “Firmly” opposes China’s latest measures and will be consulting with allies on the issue, they said.
Gallium and germanium metals are used in the production of semiconductors, chips and microchips, electric vehicles, fiber optic cables and other electronics and tech-related products.
The controls will come into force as of August 1, the Chinese statement said.
Germanium is used in various high-tech and military applications, such as high-speed computer chips, plastics, night-vision devices and satellite imagery sensors. Gallium is used in radar and radio communication devices, satellites and LEDs.
"These actions underscore the need to diversify supply chains. The United States will engage with our allies and partners to address this and to build resilience in critical supply chains," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement, carried by Reuters.
This latest move by China is widely seen as a response to escalation by Washington to curb China’s technological advances, according to Reuters.
However, the Chinese ministry of commerce said the measure is intended to protect national security interest.
China’s new controls were announced just before US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen’s visit to Beijing, which was scheduled on Thursday.
The European Commission has also expressed concern. Whereas Germany's Economy Minister Robert Habeck expressly noted that broadening controls on material like lithium would be "problematic."
This latest spat marks the unfolding of a new chapter of US-China tensions that have been escalating in recent years. The governments of the two countries have repeatedly clashed over issues like trade tariffs, the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, cyber security, spying allegations, and technological competition, in the last two years.
