The move expands Beijing’s export restrictions beyond Japan and targets European companies and research institutions active in strategic technologies.
China has added 14 European entities to its export control list, prohibiting Chinese exporters from supplying them with dual-use items without special authorization. The Ministry of Commerce announced the measures on July 24, 2026, citing national security concerns and non-proliferation obligations. The restrictions prohibit the export of Chinese-origin dual-use goods to the listed entities and require companies seeking exemptions to obtain approval from the Ministry of Commerce.
Dual-use items are materials and technologies with civil and military applications, including elements like germanium, used in advanced optics, and certain rare earth elements, used in high-performance magnets.
The affected organizations are based in Germany, Italy, France, Poland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Lithuania and operate in sectors including defense, photonics, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and industrial technologies. Among the listed entities are the German defense group Rheinmetall AG and the Czech heavy-vehicle manufacturer TATRA TRUCKS.
China justified the move as a response to the EU’s latest sanctions package against Russia, which Beijing said also targeted 14 Chinese mainland and Hong Kong companies, citing the need to protect national security and interests and fulfill non-proliferation obligations. The latest action follows China’s decision in June to add 20 Japanese companies to its export control list, further escalating tensions over strategic technologies and supply chains. The measures highlight Beijing’s growing use of export controls as a geopolitical tool amid rising competition with the EU, Japan, and the United States over critical technologies and industrial capabilities.
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