China Adds Two Drug Precursor Chemicals to Export Controls
China has added two chemicals to its export control list for drug precursors, meaning exports of them to the United States and Mexico now require permits, according to Reuters.
Precursor chemicals are starting ingredients used to make other chemicals, including medicines and drugs. An export control is a government rule that requires a licence or permit before certain goods can leave the country. Under the expanded list, companies shipping these two substances to the two countries need government approval first.
The move sits within a longer pattern of Chinese restrictions on exports of key materials. Between 2023 and 2026, Beijing imposed export controls on gallium, rare earths and at least seven other materials, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Rare earths are a group of metals used in a wide range of advanced products, including aerospace parts. China is the world's dominant miner and refiner of them, Reuters reported. China introduced two waves of export controls on these elements. In October 2025, it expanded its rare earth controls by adding five new elements, and the expansion included extra scrutiny for semiconductor users, Reuters reported.
The second wave has been suspended. China agreed to delay its rare earth export restrictions until November 10, 2026, according to Reuters. Trade data show the flows continuing in the meantime. In July, China exported 647 tons of aerospace-critical rare earth items to the United States, the second-largest monthly volume since the controls took effect, Reuters reported.
Trade in other goods is also large. In 2019, China exported $9.8 billion in medical supplies and $7.4 billion in organic chemicals, according to China Customs data cited by the US Congressional Research Service.
