#export control

China's Ministry of Commerce is considering restricting overseas access to its most advanced AI models, including unreleased ones, and has held meetings with Alibaba, ByteDance, and Zhipu. This policy could reshape global AI competition by limiting technology transfer and potentially triggering reciprocal measures from other nations. The scope of restrictions is still under discussion and may only apply to future models; it remains uncertain whether the rules will be finalized.

On July 10, 2026, China's Ministry of Commerce and General Administration of Customs announced a temporary ban on exports of helium (HS code 2804290010), citing the Foreign Trade Law of the People's Republic of China. This decision could significantly tighten global helium supply, which is already strained due to Middle East conflicts, affecting critical industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, medical imaging, and scientific research. The ban takes immediate effect, and any future adjustments will be announced separately. Helium is essential for cooling extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines and as a carrier gas in wafer processing.