• China introduces export controls on helium to safeguard domestic supply amid tightening global markets.
• Helium is essential to semiconductor manufacturing and demand has risen sharply due to the artificial intelligence boom.
• China's export restrictions on helium are not seen as a political tool, but rather a response to tightening supplies amid global conflicts.

China said on Thursday that its newly introduced export controls on helium are intended to safeguard domestic supplies of the gas amid tightening global markets.

Commerce Ministry spokesman He Yadong said China is a major importer of helium and that the temporary export ban was introduced to ensure adequate domestic supply.

Helium is essential to semiconductor manufacturing, where it is used to cool chips and maintain clean production environments. Demand has risen sharply as the artificial intelligence boom fuels the need for advanced chips.

Beijing announced the export controls last Friday, with the measures taking effect the same day.

The spokesman said the restrictions are in line with China's foreign trade laws,

Unlike China's export controls on rare earths, the helium restrictions are not widely seen as a political tool aimed at trading partners. China is not a major exporter of helium and is instead seeking to respond to tightening supplies amid the US-Iran war, as much of the world's helium is produced in the Middle East.

According to analysts at Trivium China, the country imports more than 85% of its helium, with around half of those imports coming from Qatar, one of the world's leading suppliers. Russia, another source of helium, introduced export restrictions on the gas in April.

Trivium said Beijing is seeking to prevent exporters from taking advantage of high global helium prices by selling the gas abroad at the expense of domestic supply.