China suspended an export ban to the U.S. that had targeted gallium, germanium and antimony, metals crucial for modern technology, including semiconductors, Beijing's commerce ministry announced on Nov. 9.
The restrictions banned the export of so-called "dual-use" goods, materials that can have both civilian and military applications.
Imposed in December 2024, the ban will now be suspended until Nov. 27, 2026, Beijing's Commerce Ministry said in a statement.
The announcement comes after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met on Oct. 30 in South Korea and agreed to walk back some punitive measures imposed during their tit-for-tat tariff escalation.
At one point, duties on both sides reached prohibitive triple-digit levels, hampering trade between the world's two largest economies and snarling global supply chains.
Throughout the trade war, China has sought to leverage its chokehold over the critical minerals underpinning everything from smartphones to advanced military technology.
Meanwhile, the European Commission said on Nov. 8 that Chinese authorities had confirmed a partial resumption of Nexperia chips, easing a blockage that has alarmed carmakers.
The dispute erupted in September when the Dutch government effectively took control of Nexperia, which is based in the Netherlands but whose parent company is China's Wingtech.
China responded by banning re-exports of the firm's chips, triggering warnings from automakers of production stoppages as the components are critical to onboard electronics.
But Beijing announced at the weekend it would exempt some chips from the export ban, reportedly part of a trade deal agreed by President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump.
