China Restricts Exports of Drones That Could Be Converted for War

Western countries have accused China of supplying drones to Russia via third-party networks.

Jack Daleo

Friday, August 02, 2024 at 12:56 PM ET

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Edited By: Luke Venable

China drones

Key Takeaways:

China is implementing new export controls on civilian drones and related equipment that can be modified for military use, effective September 1st, while also lifting some unspecified temporary restrictions on consumer drones.
These new restrictions come amidst Western accusations that China is supplying Russia with drones for its war against Ukraine, despite previous measures by Chinese manufacturers like DJI.
The U.S. and other Western countries remain concerned about Chinese drones, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on companies and actively pursuing legislation to ban Chinese drone procurement by federal agencies and potentially end all new sales in the U.S. due to security threats.

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China is restricting exports of civilian drones that could be modified and used for military purposes amid Western accusations that the country is supplying Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Per the Associated Press, China’s Commerce Ministry on Wednesday said it would attach export controls to drones that could be converted and deployed on the battlefield, as well as certain equipment, such as infrared lasers.