Demand Signal for Special Operations Will Only Grow. (NDIA PERSPECTIVE)

• Date: 01 February 2025
• Author: Stewart, Jennifer
• Published date: 01 February 2025

China announced in December stringent and targeted export restrictions on critical minerals, including banning shipments of gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States.

Gallium and germanium are two of the most essential minerals required to develop high-performance chips, and they are preferred in defense applications over traditional silicon processors due to their properties that boost performance, speed and energy efficiency.

These critical minerals, along with graphite--which was also subject to additional, although less restrictive, sanctions--are essential components for a number of advanced technologies.

The announcement marked the first time Beijing export restrictions were directly targeted at the United States and explicitly linked to Western restrictions on advanced technologies. This should be seen for what it is: a visible, concrete example of escalation in the ongoing global technological competition.

As the year closed, President Xi Jinping delivered his annual speech, which focused on how his government intends to address significant domestic problems, including those the ruling party closely manages in order to preserve the regime's stability.

In addition, he emphasized his vision for the eventual reunification of Taiwan with mainland China. But he also used the address to...