Starting 1 September, China will impose export controls on some drone engines, lasers, communications equipment, and drone defense systems, Reuters reports.
The control measures will also affect some consumer drones to prevent them from being exported for military purposes.
According to the ministry spokesman, such exposes have to safeguard “national security and interests” amid escalating tension with the United States over access to technology.
“China’s modest expansion of the scope of its drone control this time is an important measure to demonstrate our stance as a responsible major country, to implement global security initiatives, and maintain world peace,” the unidentified spokesperson said.
As per Reuters, China has a big drone manufacturing industry and exports to several markets, including the US
In March 2022 German retailer accused Chinese-based company DJI of leaking data on Ukrainian military positions to Russia. The company rejected as “utterly false,” according to the agency.
Recently Politico mentioned that China secretly supplies Russia with drones, body armor components, thermal imagers, and other “enough non-lethal but useful military equipment.”
A French diplomatic advisor to the President of France, Emmanuel Bonne, also accused China of helping Russia in its war against Ukraine.
According to Voice America, on 29 July US Secretary Anthony Blinken expressed hope that China would “do everything possible” to avoid supplying Russia with dual-use technologies, materials that could be used, among other things, for weapons.
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