UAV export controls show country acts responsibly: China Daily editorial

China announced export controls on some drones and drone-related equipment on Monday, which is an important measure to demonstrate its stance as a responsible major country and implement the Global Security Initiative that it has put forward.

The controls, that will take effect on Sept 1, were revealed in two announcements jointly issued by four departments of the central authorities.

China has a large drone manufacturing industry and it exports to several markets, including the United States. But in recent years, with the rapid development of drones, their application scenarios have greatly expanded, and the risk of some high-specification and high-performance civilian drones being used for non-peaceful purposes has been rising. China is therefore introducing the controls to minimize the risk of bloodshed even though that will hurt its own companies' commercial interests.

It is estimated that by 2025, the global drone market will reach an estimated 500 billion yuan ($69.7 billion). China currently accounts for about 70 percent. The freshly released export control measures mainly cover drone engines, lasers, and the communication equipment used in drones for industrial purposes, but they also cover some consumer drones, and stipulate that no civilian drones can be exported for military purposes.

The controls are not a complete ban on exports. As long as the equipment is to be used for lawful civil purposes, it can be exported normally after the relevant approval procedures are fulfilled. Nonetheless, the expanded export controls mean that China will be sacrificing part of its share of the market for the greater good.

China's stance is in direct contrast to that of the United States, which,"to increase trade opportunities for US companies" even loosened its controls on exports of military drones in July 2020 under the Donald Trump administration. Many of the US-made unmanned aerial vehicles fly fast and carry big payloads, making them highly sought after by countries for military purposes. The Joe Biden administration has continued its predecessor's policy, which means that exports of large strike-capable drones that cannot travel faster than 800 kilometers per hour, such as Global Hawks and Reapers, are no longer subject to "presumption of denial". Biden, of course, was vice-president in the Barack Obama administration which is infamous for its obtrusive use of drones.

While the Chinese government will continue to support Chinese enterprises to carry out international trade and cooperation in the civilian field, the new measures demonstrate its resolve to strictly control exports of UAVs and UAV equipment that might be misused for non-civil purposes, so as to maintain global security and regional stability.