Chinese authorities announced export controls on certain unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related items to safeguard national security and interests, which will take effect on September 1. Some Chinese experts noted that drones for civilian use are increasingly converted for military purposes. Since 2002, China has gradually implemented export controls on drones, with the scope of control and technical standards in line with international practices, a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said. In recent years, drone technology has rapidly evolved, and its applications have expanded. The risk of high-grade, high-performance civilian drones being repurposed for military use has increased, the spokesperson said. As a major producer and exporter of drones, China, based on comprehensive assessments, has decided to moderately expand export controls on drones. This is not targeted at any specific country or region, the spokesperson added.
UAVs to be under export control include unmanned aircraft or airships which are capable of controlled flight beyond the operator's visual line of sight, with a flight time of 30 minutes or more, and a maximum take-off weight of over 7 kilograms or an empty weight of over 4 kilograms, as well as with certain features, said a notice issued by China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), General Administration of Customs (GAC), State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) and the Equipment Development Department of China's Central Military Commission (CMC). Temporary export controls shall not exceed two years, according to the notice. During the period, if an exporter knows or should know that the exported drones will be used for proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorist activities or military purposes, the UAVs meeting the existing control standards won't be allowed to be exported.
Export restrictions were also imposed on UAV-related items, such as anti-drone systems used to disrupt UAVs flights, that can affect civilian aviation safety and increase the risk of military conflict. Also included are lasers, communication instruments, and hyperspectral cameras. “China has its own standards for weapons and equipment export curbs, including missiles, drones, and other objects. We strengthen the permit control over these drone exports in order to act as a responsible country, ensuring that drones aren't transferred to end users who should not possess them,” Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times.
Export controls on certain UAVs are "not a ban on exports." As long as they are used for lawful civilian purposes, they can be exported normally after going through the relevant procedures, so it will not have a huge impact on the civilian UAV industry, Wang Yanan, Aviation Expert from Beihang University and Chief Editor of Aerospace Knowledge, told the Global Times.
China is one of the world’s biggest makers of civilian drones, and some Chinese brands have been used in military conflicts around the world, including in Ukraine, where they have been deployed by forces on both sides of the war, including for surveillance and armed strikes, the South China Morning Post adds.
