China's metal export curbs not 'retaliation'

CHINA'S gallium exports fell 66 percent year on year to $8.47 million last year, while those of germanium edged down 8.2 percent to $48.42 million, data from Chinese customs showed, a trend that industry observers said reflected multiple factors ― including market demand adjustment, soaring material prices as well as certain time needed for application reviews after metal export controls took effect.

Analysts stressed that China's export curbs on the two niche materials, which are key to making semiconductors, communications, and defense equipment and other high-tech products, are in line with international practices and do not target any specific country, strongly pushing back against what some media touted as a result of "Beijing retaliating against tech curbs by Washington and its allies."