China puts ten more US companies on export controls list

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced, this Monday (22), the inclusion of ten companies from the United States on the country’s Export Control List. Communiqué No. 23 of 2026 from the department’s Department of Industrial Security and Import and Export Control prohibits the export of dual-use items (i.e., that may have civil and military application) to the ten entities and also prohibits any organization or individual, in any country, from transferring products of Chinese origin to them.

The decision is based on the Export Control Law and the Regulation on Export Control of Dual-Use Items of the People’s Republic of China and, according to the statement, aims to defend the country’s security and national interests, in addition to complying with international obligations such as non-proliferation commitments.

The ten companies listed are: Aveox, based in Simi Valley, California; Red Cat Holdings and Teal Drones, both in South Salt Lake, Utah; IMSAR, in Springville, also in Utah; Jaia Robotics, in Bristol, Rhode Island; Ball Aerospace & Technologies in Broomfield, Colorado; Oshkosh Defense, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; L3 Harris Maritime Services in Norfolk, Virginia; MP Materials, in Las Vegas, Nevada; and USA Rare Earth, in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The ministry provides for exceptions if export is “really necessary”. In these cases, exporting companies must request prior authorization from the Ministry of Commerce.

Drones and rare earths at the center of the list

The ten companies mostly operate in two main sectors: military drones and rare earths.

Red Cat Holdings, Teal Drones, Jaia Robotics and IMSAR manufacture drones, radar systems and robotics with military applications. Ball Aerospace & Technologies, Oshkosh Defense and L3 Harris Maritime Services provide aerospace systems, military vehicles and maritime defense services.

MP Materials and USA Rare Earth are the two main companies in the US effort to reduce dependence on rare earths processed in China. MP Materials operates the Mountain Pass mine in California, the only rare earth mine operating on a large scale in the United States, and received, in 2025, a direct contribution from the US government: the Department of Defense invested US$400 million (more than R$2 trillion) in preferred shares in the company, making the US government its largest shareholder, with a 15% stake. USA Rare Earth, in turn, this year received US$1.6 billion (more than R$8 billion) in conditional financing from the US government for mining projects in Texas and magnet manufacturing in Oklahoma.

History of similar measures

In February this year, China had included 20 Japanese companies in the military, aerospace and naval sectors on its export control list. In April, seven European Union entities were added to the list.

In 2025, the mechanism had already been activated against the United States: on April 4, 16 American entities were included in the list (Communiqué no. 21); and, on April 9, another 12 entities were added (Communiqué no. 22), totaling 28 entities.