A man works in a workshop of a graphite company in Jixi City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 24, 2023.(Photo: Xinhua)

China's export controls on some categories of graphite are in accordance with the law and belong to normal adjustment measures. Exports that comply with relevant regulations will be permitted, a Chinese official said on Thursday, stressing the measures are not directed at any specific country or region, nor are they targeting any specific industry.
 
China is committed to ensuring the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, Shu Jueting, a spokesperson of Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), told a regular press conference in Beijing on Thursday. 

On October 20, China optimized export controls on some categories of graphite, a key material in making electric vehicle batteries, in a move aimed at safeguarding national security and interests. 

Experts argue that the move is crucial and necessary to safeguard the stability of China's supply chain in the face of the escalating assault and trade restrictions on China's high-tech sector from the West.

Under the new measures, China will require exporters to apply for permits to certain highly sensitive graphite items, effective from December 1. China is the world's largest producer and exporter of graphite.

The move came after the Chinese government recently conducted a comprehensive assessment of temporary control measures covering graphite items, in accordance with the Export Control Law, and made a decision to make an optimization, according to an official statement.

Global Times