China has imposed an immediate temporary ban on helium exports to protect domestic supplies of the critical semiconductor material as global disruptions intensify, reports Caixin.
The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs announced the measure Friday, citing China’s foreign trade law. The ban is aimed at insulating the country’s high-tech manufacturing and medical sectors from worsening shortages caused by the Middle East conflict and Russian export controls.
Global helium supplies have been severely disrupted this year by the Iran war, which led to military attacks on QatarEnergy facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City. QatarEnergy halted production of liquefied natural gas and related products in March, shutting three helium plants at the world’s largest helium production base and cutting global supply by about 30%.