China announced Tuesday it is banning exports to the United States of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications, as a general principle, lashing back at U.S. limits on semiconductor-related exports.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced the move after the Washington expanded its list of Chinese companies subject to export controls on computer chip-making equipment, software and high-bandwidth memory chips. Such chips are needed for advanced applications.
The ratcheting up of trade restrictions comes as President-elect Donald Trump has been threatening to sharply raise tariffs on imports from China and other countries, potentially intensifyi
It doesn’t consider them separately, the article I linked specifically mentions that the GaAs wafers would be impacted and presents a bigger impact. That doesn’t take away the core point that China is the main producer because it’s not that profitable. Other countries, including the US, can easily step in and begin refining Ga and Ge as necessary.