China announced on Tuesday that it has imposed a ban on the export of materials related to gallium, germanium, and antimony to the United States due to their potential military applications.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce explained that the decision was made due to national security concerns and also includes a strict review of graphite shipments to the U.S.

This move is part of tightening restrictions on critical mineral exports, further escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.