China Curbs Drone Exports Amid Escalating Russia-Ukraine, U.S. Trade Tensions

Both military and civilian drones will be affected by the new export controls, which take effect September 1 and will last up to two years.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, August 02, 2023 at 02:49 PM ET

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Chinese-made drones, including DJI’s Phantom (pictured), have reportedly bolstered the Russian war effort in Ukraine. [Courtesy: Emiliano Arano/Pexels]

Key Takeaways:

China has imposed new, stricter export restrictions on military and high-specification civilian drones, effective September 1, citing concerns about their use for "non-peaceful purposes" and potential military conversion.
The controls require government permission for exporting certain drones and components, along with verification of the end-user, with China stating this demonstrates its commitment to global security.
These measures are expected to impact the supply of Chinese drones to conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war and may also serve to de-escalate tensions with the U.S., which has its own bans on Chinese drone technology.

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As Russia and Ukraine continue to trade accusations of drone strikes on critical infrastructure, a third party to the ongoing conflict intends to remove its drones from the battlefield.

Several Chinese government agencies on Monday announced the imposition of new restrictions on exports of both military and civilian drones used for “non-peaceful purposes.” While the new controls did not explicitly address the Russia-Ukraine conflict, they could reduce China’s support of the Russian offensive and quell international concerns around its involvement in the war.