China Imposes Export Curbs on Drones, Heavy Machinery

China said on Monday it would expand curbs on drone exports and restrict the sales of some heavy machinery to “sensitive countries” with which the communist regime has disputes.

Exporters will need a license to ship certain types of drones, such as those capable of traveling more than 300 km (186 miles) or flying beyond the natural line of sight, China’s Ministry of Commerce said in an Oct. 19 statement, citing national security grounds. The drones’ engines, operating systems, and technologies used for manufacturing will also be subjected to controls.

Other affected products include some tunnel-boring machines, walking excavators, and high-altitude concrete-spraying machines—all sophisticated machinery for building railway and road tunnels through mountains, according to a separate press release. 

Decades of investment have helped China become the world’s major supplier of tunnel-boring machines. Chinese media have long touted that the country makes 70 percent of such machines around the globe. Among the leading manufacturers are state-owned China Railway Engineering Equipment Group, whose website said its machines are delivered to overseas projects in 36 countries, including Italy, Australia, and Peru.

Separately, the regime’s commerce ministry announced export restrictions on key components of dredgers, including heavy-duty pumps used to scoop up mud and sand from the seabed.

Overseas companies and individuals will be barred from transferring China-sourced dredger-related items to “sensitive countries and regions that have disputes with China,” the ministry said.

Beijing didn’t name any specific country. But some analysts, including Brookings Institution fellow Kyle Chan, said India could be a likely focus. The two neighbors have longstanding border disputes that escalated into war in the 1960s.

China has invested heavily in developing its dredger industry, with state-owned CCCC Dredging being the country’s leading producer and contractor.

All three new export restrictions will be enforced beginning Nov. 18.

A ministry spokesperson said these newly added products have “clear dual-use characteristics,” meaning they can be used for both military and civilian purposes. Chinese officials had already notified trading partners through export-control dialogue mechanisms ahead of the announcement, the spokesperson added. 

The ministry also signaled tightened checks on dual-use products. Customs officers will detain goods and question export operators if they suspect a shipment includes controlled items. Exporters will have seven working days to respond and submit required documents such as contracts and receipts. The rules take effect immediately and also apply to cross-border e-commerce, mail, and travelers’ luggage.

The expanded export controls came amid global concerns over reliance on China for raw materials and industrial products. 

China restricted shipment of rare earths—a sector in which it accounts for about 70 percent of global supply—in late 2025 ahead of trade negotiations with the United States, and again earlier this year amid tensions with Japan. The sweeping restrictions have prompted the United States and other major economies to diversify the source of the supply chain critical for products ranging from smartphones and medical imaging to military equipment.

Last week, the commerce ministry unveiled sweeping export controls on dozens of technologies related to artificial intelligence as Beijing tightens controls on the strategic industry amid rivalry with the United States. Also added to the export-control list were biotechnology and technologies used to make solar equipment. 

Senior U.S. and Chinese officials are set to hold a talk by November under a mechanism established at a September summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington.