China has imposed a temporary ban on the export of helium, a move that directly impacts the global semiconductor supply chain.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce and customs authorities announced the restriction on Friday, citing unspecified reasons for the halt.
Helium is a critical component in the production of advanced chips, used extensively in cooling systems and precision manufacturing processes.
The decision marks a significant escalation in Beijing’s control over key materials essential to the technology industry.
The export stoppage comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions and follows recent sanctions imposed by China on ten US technology companies.
Those sanctions prohibited the firms from exporting dual-use items with both civilian and military applications to the United States.