BEIJING, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government announced on Friday that it will impose export controls on certain graphite materials and related products.
In an announcement jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and the General Administration of Customs, the export of artificial graphite materials and related products with high purity (purity>99.9%), high strength (flexural strength>30Mpa) and high density (density>1.73g/cubic centimeter) will be banned, unless permission is granted.
Meanwhile, natural flake graphite and its products, including spheroidized graphite and expanded graphite, will also be banned from export unless there is permission, according to the announcement.
The control measures take effect on Dec. 1, 2023, according to the announcement.
In a separate statement, the MOC explained that the highly sensitive products and materials had previously been subject to temporary export control measures, and the announcement on Friday sought to classify them officially as dual-use items on China's export control list.
Chinese authorities had also notified relevant countries and regions prior to the announcement, the statement said.
It noted that imposing export controls on specific graphite items is a common international practice, and that it reflects the Chinese government's coordination of development and security.
The export control measure is conducive to China fulfilling its international obligations such as non-proliferation, to ensuring the safety and stability of global industrial and supply chains, and to safeguarding China's national security and interests in an improved manner, according to the statement.
It said that the measure was not aimed at any specific country or region, and that exports that comply with relevant regulations will be permitted.
The Britannica website defines graphite as a material that is used in pencils, lubricants, crucibles, foundry facings, polishes, arc lamps, batteries, brushes for electric motors, and cores of nuclear reactors. ■
