China has added silver to its list of strategic commodities, implementing strict management and export licensing regulations starting January 1st.

China's Ministry of Commerce announced a list of 44 enterprises licensed to export silver under new measures for the period 2026-2027, an increase of 2 units compared to 2025.

Although China has not yet announced a complete ban on silver exports, the Securities Times reported on December 30, 2025, citing an industry source, that the new policy has officially elevated silver from a common commodity to a strategic material. Accordingly, the mechanism for managing silver exports is placed on par with the mechanism for controlling rare earth elements.

In the same list, the number of companies authorized to export tungsten and antimony is 15 and 11, respectively. Notably, regulations effective from 2026 also extend to tungsten and antimony, materials for which China dominates the global supply and are widely used in defense and high-tech industries.

The prices of these two minerals have skyrocketed due to tight supply in overseas markets.

According to CNBC, China's latest move has expanded restrictions on a metal that was once considered commonplace but is now seen as crucial to the U.S. industrial and defense supply chain.

Last weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk criticized the policy on social media platform X. "This is not good. Silver is essential for many industrial processes," he stated.

However, these regulations are not new. China's Ministry of Commerce first announced the measures in October 2025, aiming to strengthen oversight of rare earth metals.

Over the past two years, citing national security reasons, China has restricted the export of many minerals used in everything from electronics and electric vehicles to infrared missiles and ammunition.

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said in a quick survey conducted in November that a majority of its member businesses said they had been or expected to be affected by China's export control measures.

Source: DTiNews

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