China has Temporarily Banned the Export of Helium Needed for the Production of Optical Fiber and Rocket Technology

China has imposed a temporary ban on the export of helium, which is used in the space industry, fiber-optic manufacturing, and military technologies, particularly in radars and sensors.

This is stated in a joint announcement by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the General Administration of Customs of China, published on July 10, 2026.

According to the document, the ban applies to helium classified under the relevant customs code.

The reasons for imposing the restrictions have not been officially disclosed.

Helium is critical for high-tech industries, including semiconductor manufacturing, fiber optics, medical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, the aerospace industry, and rocket testing.

It is worth noting that China is currently the largest importer of this gas. Domestic production covers only about 5–15% of domestic demand, so the country imports over 85% of the helium it needs. The main suppliers are Qatar, Russia, and, previously, the United States.

Meanwhile, the export ban coincided with the aftermath of an operation by the Ukrainian Defense Forces, which, on the night of June 24, 2026, struck the Orenburg Helium Plant—the only facility of its kind in Russia. This plant extracted helium from natural gas at the Orenburg field.