(Yicai) Dec. 4 -- China has strengthened control over the export of dual-use items to the US to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international non-proliferation obligations.

China has prohibited the export of dual-use items to US military users or for military purposes effective immediately, the Ministry of Commerce announced yesterday.

The export of dual-use items related to gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials to the US is not to be permitted, the ministry noted. In addition, stricter end-user and end-use reviews will be conducted regarding exports of graphite-related dual-use items, it added.

Many countries have designated these materials, which are relatively scarce, widely applicable, and with certain military uses, as strategic mineral resources. In addition, their price has surged in recent years, with the cost of antimony soaring over 210 percent this year.

Given the rising geopolitical risks, the price of antimony is expected to continue its upward trend into the next year, Securities Times reported, citing analysts. China's tightening of export controls to the US will likely further hike the price of these resources, they added.

Given the strategic importance of rare earth metals in high-tech industries, tightening up these export controls could also elevate China's role in the global market, according to the analysts.

Gallium is used in gas sensors, solar cells, rare earth magnets, and compounds such as gallium arsenide and nitride chips. Germanium, a natural semiconductor, is used in chips, fiber optics, infrared optics, solar cells, chemical catalysts, and biomedical fields. Antimony is used in chemicals, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.

Shares of several relevant Chinese companies climbed after the announcement of the tighter export controls.

Aluminum Corporation of China [SHA: 601600] rose 2.6 to CNY7.79 (USD1.07) a share as of 10.40 a.m. in Shanghai today, while the stock of Yunnan Chihong Zinc & Germanium [SHA: 600497] surged 5.3 percent to CNY6.21.

Editor: Martin Kadiev