On Monday (31st), four departments including China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that, starting from September 1, export controls will be implemented on high-performance drones and their related items. These items cannot be exported without permission, and this regulation will last for no more than two years.
According to the relevant notice, the affected aircraft include drones or unmanned airships that can be controlled beyond the operator’s natural line of sight, with a maximum endurance time of at least 30 minutes, a maximum takeoff weight of more than 7000 grams, or an empty weight of more than 4000 grams, and possess specific characteristics.
During the temporary control period, exporters must not export specific drones if they know or should know that the export will be used for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorist activities, or military purposes.
From September 1, China will also implement export controls on certain items related to specific drones or unmanned airships. Affected items include specific aviation engines, lasers, and infrared imaging equipment.
Western countries have repeatedly questioned Chinese enterprises’ supply of drones to Russia. In April this year, China’s Ministry of Commerce responded on its website that the United States continues to send weapons and equipment to Ukraine and, rather than reflecting on its actions, it is spreading false information about China’s drone exports without basis, along with a few Western media outlets. This amounted to rumors and smears against Chinese enterprises. China firmly opposes this.