China adds drones & laser to restricted exports list, in response to US sanctions

In retaliation to the recent actions against Chinese tech companies in the United States, China has now added drones and lasers to its restricted export list consisting of nearly two dozen technologies.

On Friday, China had added 23 areas of innovation, ranging from space materials to 3D printing, encryption and large-scale high-speed wind tunnel design to the restricted export list.

China's Ministry of Commerce said, "The main purpose is to regulate technology exports, promote scientific and technological progress and economic and technological cooperation, and maintain national economic security."

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Iris Pang, chief economist for Greater China from ING Wholesale Banking said that the revision of list was a response for "the US ban on Chinese tech companies". "These new restrictions reflect that China owns some hi-tech patents that could disrupt other economies' manufacturing," he said.

With the ‘rapid development’ of science and technology in China, it is imperative to adjust the list in line with international practices, the Ministry stated. Beijing has also revised details for 21 other technologies that are already restricted for export, including chemical raw material production, crop breeding and biological pesticide production.

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US bans Tiktok, WeChat

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning American citizens and businesses from doing any transaction with Chinese-owned application TikTok, its parent company ByteDance Ltd. and messaging app WeChat after 45 days. The executive order stated that the steps were taken because the apps threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.

Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the executive order signed by Trump to force a sale of TikTok within 45 days is “sheer gangster logic” and “daylight robbery”. Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said in an interview that the Trump administration is taking actions against the Chinese video-sharing social networking service on the basis of the presumption of guilt.

On August 27, China’s foreign ministry warned that Chinese consumers could boycott Apple products if the United States bans WeChat, a messaging, social media and mobile payment app developed by Tencent. 

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