According to the WeChat official account of the "Ministry of National Security", since August this year, China has implemented export controls on gallium and germanium related items. This legitimate measure has been maliciously interpreted by some foreign media. In fact, the purpose and significance of adopting export controls this time, as stated by China's official media - this is a necessary measure to maintain national security!
As early as 2009, the news that a global mining giant company's employees in China were subjected to criminal coercive measures by national security agencies sparked widespread attention both domestically and internationally. These employees are all employees of the company's China iron ore department. The national security organs have lawfully retrieved data from their office computers and found that there are detailed technical analyses and accurate parameters of various production processes from dozens of Chinese steel enterprises. It is precisely because of the leakage of these core data that it has caused huge economic losses to the country. The successful resolution of this case effectively maintained national resource security and avoided greater losses.
From more than a decade ago when national security agencies cracked important cases related to resource security in accordance with the law, to today, the country has implemented export controls on important mineral resources. China's determination to maintain national resource security has been consistent and completely reasonable and legal.
——This is a legitimate move to safeguard national security. Gallium and germanium related items have obvious dual-use properties, and export controls are implemented in accordance with the law to ensure their legitimate use, in order to maintain national security and better fulfill international obligations. The Export Control Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that the state may implement export controls on goods related to the maintenance of national security and interests, such as dual-use items. The Foreign Trade Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that the state may restrict or prohibit the export of related goods in order to maintain national security. Under the premise of the above legal authorization, China has also provided advance notification to relevant countries through normal channels before the release of control measures, which is fair, reasonable, non discriminatory, and not targeted at any specific country.
——This is a reasonable move to ensure one's own development. For many consecutive years, China has become the world's largest importer and consumer of strategic mineral resources. It is currently in the middle and late stages of industrialization and rapid urbanization, promoting high-quality economic and social development and better meeting people's new expectations for a better life, leading to a continuous increase in demand for strategic mineral resources. At the same time, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, with the intensification of the game between major powers and the profound adjustment of the global political and economic landscape. It is necessary to better coordinate resource development and security, development and protection, current and long-term, improve resource security and security levels, and effectively ensure the sustained, reliable, and effective supply of resources required for economic and social development. The control measures are reasonable and reasonable, and cannot be criticized by anyone.
——This is a legitimate move in line with international practice. Most developed countries implement control measures for strategic mineral resources. Both the United States and the European Union have included gallium and germanium in the list of key minerals and have given special attention to them. The multilateral export control mechanism led by the United States and Europe, the Wassenaar Arrangement, has included gallium and germanium in its export control scope. Multiple WTO agreements have also stipulated "security exceptions" clauses to support member states in taking measures to maintain national security. For many years, the proportion of gallium and germanium production provided by China to the world has greatly exceeded the proportion of China's reserves in the world. In such a situation, adopting controls to appropriately control exports and reduce strategic resource loss is in line with international practice and the basis is very clear.
From both the historical perspective of human development and the global perspective of national prosperity and decline, resources and energy are not only the premise of human survival, but also the foundation of national development and the guarantee of national security.   The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly requires strengthening the construction of a security guarantee system, including resources, to ensure energy and resource security.
Resources and energy are crucial to the national economy, people's livelihood, and national security. Only by firmly holding the rice bowl of energy resources in one's own hands can we achieve high-quality social and economic development, and the people have more confidence in living and working in peace and contentment!