Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that Beijing has expanded the list of Chinese-made graphite-based materials that are subject to export controls. Such products are used in the production of electric vehicle batteries, and may not be exported from China without permission.
The updated graphite export controls were published by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs of China. The measures “optimize and adjust the temporary export control of certain graphite products.” The controls newly included three “highly sensitive” graphite products in a dual-use export control checklist.
Spheroidized graphite, which was previously subject to temporary controls, was included in the updated list. Graphite products subject to export controls now include artificial graphite materials of high purity (99.9+ percent purity), high strength (flexural strength 30Mpa), and high density (1.73 grams per cubic centimeter), as well as derivative products of these materials. Also restricted is natural flake graphite and its derivatives (including spheroidized graphite, expanded graphite etc.).
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, China is currently the world’s largest producer of graphite, accounting for 67 percent of the world’s natural graphite supply. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said that “China, as the world’s largest producer and exporter of graphite, has long firmly fulfilled its non-proliferation and other international obligations and implemented export controls on specific graphite items in accordance with the need to safeguard national security and interests.”
Source: Lianhe Zaobao, October 20, 2023
https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/china/story20231020-1444412