China Bans Select Exports to Japan After PM’s Taiwan Remarks
Hong Kong —
China has imposed immediate restrictions on exports of certain materials and technologies to Japan, escalating tensions between the two Asian powers following recent comments by Japan’s prime minister on Taiwan.
In a statement released Tuesday, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced sweeping controls on so-called dual-use items—products and technologies that can serve both civilian and military purposes. While the ministry did not list specific items, its official catalog of restricted goods includes rare earth elements, advanced electronics, aerospace and aviation components, drones, and nuclear-related technologies.
Rare earths are particularly critical, playing a vital role in industries ranging from consumer electronics and electric vehicles to advanced military hardware such as F-35 fighter jets. Japan depended on China for approximately 63% of its rare earth imports in 2024, based on calculations using Japanese government trade data. The full economic impact of the new restrictions remains unclear.
Relations between Beijing and Tokyo have sharply deteriorated since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated in parliament in November that a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan would represent “a threat to Japan’s survival,” possibly justifying a military response from Tokyo.
China, which claims Taiwan as its territory despite never having governed the island, has repeatedly vowed to reunify it—by force if necessary.
Following Takaichi’s remarks, Beijing introduced a series of retaliatory economic measures, including reducing flights to Japan, issuing travel warnings to Chinese citizens, and suspending seafood imports from the country.
A spokesperson for China’s commerce ministry said the export controls were imposed in response to what it described as Takaichi’s “erroneous comments,” accusing Japan of interfering in China’s internal affairs and violating the one-China principle. The spokesperson added that violators of the new rules would face legal consequences.
Japan’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the move, calling the export restrictions “absolutely unacceptable” and inconsistent with international trade norms. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Wednesday that the government is still assessing the scope and potential impact of the ban, noting that many details remain unclear.
“We will carefully examine the measures and consider appropriate responses,” Kihara said.
Separately, China’s commerce ministry also launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of dichlorosilane from Japan, a chemical widely used in semiconductor manufacturing. Beijing accused Japanese suppliers of selling the product below market value, harming China’s domestic industry.
China has a long history of deploying trade and regulatory tools in diplomatic disputes, and analysts say the latest moves signal a further hardening of Beijing’s stance toward Tokyo.
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