China ramps up crackdown on strategic mineral smugglers, vows stronger export controls

South China Morning Post

19-07-2025

A number of suspects involved in
strategic mineral smuggling had been arrested, Chinese authorities said on Saturday, while pledging stronger enforcement of export controls to prevent illegal shipments and technology transfers for military use.
The Ministry of Commerce statement came during a high-level export-control meeting in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region – an area of southern China rich in
strategic mineral reserves . Multiple ministries attended the meeting, which was organised by the national coordination office for export control.
Officials at the meeting said the situation in combating the smuggling of strategic minerals 'remained severe'. They said plans were under way to set up a joint enforcement and coordination centre for export controls on dual-use items for both civilian and military use, as a special operation to crack down on smuggling continued.
The special operation launched in May has resulted in multiple arrests, according to the ministry statement. However, Saturday's progress update meeting did not reveal the exact number of arrests made so far.
'Relevant departments must take full responsibility for their duties, maintain a high-pressure approach of strict investigation and enforcement, and firmly prevent the illegal outflow of strategic minerals and related technologies,' the statement said.
Authorities said that some offenders continued to collude with foreign parties to carry out illegal exports driven by personal gain. Tactics to evade detection – such as false declarations and transshipment through third countries – had become 'increasingly covert', they warned.