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 is implementing new, expanded export restrictions on both military and civilian drones and related components, effective September 1st for two years.
These controls target drones with specific advanced capabilities (e.g., long flight, heavy lift) to prevent their conversion for "non-peaceful purposes," implicitly addressing their use in conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war.
The move is presented by China as demonstrating its commitment to global security but also comes amid international scrutiny of its ties to Russia and rising U.S.-China tensions over 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.