According to the Ministry of Commerce website, on July 16, the Ministry of Commerce held a regular press conference.
A reporter asked that recently, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs of China issued announcements deciding to temporarily ban the export of helium. Helium, as a rare and strategic resource, is commonly used in high-end manufacturing such as semiconductor production and in the defense sector. What are the main reasons for implementing this temporary ban on exports?
According to He Yadong, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, China is a major importer of helium. To ensure domestic supply, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs have jointly issued an announcement, deciding to implement temporary export bans on helium. This measure complies with the provisions of the Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China and WTO rules. In the future, we will adjust the export management policies in a timely manner based on changes in the supply and demand of helium both domestically and internationally.
Screenshot of the Ministry of Commerce website
July 10th, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement:
In accordance with the relevant provisions of the ‘Foreign Trade Law of the People’s Republic of China’, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs have decided to implement temporary export restrictions on helium (Customs commodity code: 2804290010).
This announcement takes effect from the date of publication. Any subsequent adjustments will be announced separately.
It is reported that helium, as a rare and inert resource, is considered a strategic asset. It is commonly used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, magnetic resonance (MRI) superconducting magnets, rocket fuel pressurization, and other aerospace and defense applications. Therefore, it is known as the “golden gas”.
In semiconductor manufacturing, helium plays an indispensable role and has no substitute. It is widely used in core production processes such as wafer cooling, lithography, and leak detection, directly affecting the yield and stability of chip manufacturing.
For a long time, China has been one of the world's largest importers of helium. Its export volume is limited. In 2024, markets that import more of this rare gas include the European Union, Japan, France, South Korea, and the United States.
According to previous reports by CCTV Finance, the person in charge of a special gas production company in Shanghai said that the demand for helium has risen significantly recently. The factory operates on double shifts but still faces a supply shortage. Zhang Zhijun, the deputy manager of the production department at Shanghai Youjiali Special Gas Co., Ltd., explained that the semiconductor industry has a high demand for helium, and the price varies depending on the day. Currently, the daily production volume has doubled compared to the beginning of the year.
