China’s temporary ban on helium exports is a defensive response to renewed conflict in the Middle East and the risk that disruptions to Qatari supply could leave Chinese semiconductor manufacturers without enough of a gas that is essential to advanced chip production. The restriction took effect immediately, indicating that Beijing is prioritizing domestic industrial continuity over the relatively small volumes of helium that Chinese companies normally sell to other Asian markets.

The decision is unusual because China is not a major net supplier of helium. It is heavily dependent on foreign sources, with imports estimated to cover about 85 percent of domestic requirements. Chinese companies export only limited surplus volumes when local availability exceeds immediate needs or when regional prices make overseas sales attractive.

Beijing’s experience with aluminium shows how a hard, well-policed capacity ceiling can curb the worst excesses of China’s “build first, worry later” industrial cycle, and the country’s non-ferrous association now wants to port that playbook to copper, lead and zinc.

The problem they’re trying to solve is straightforward: smelting capacity has outrun the availability of raw materials. China’s refiners have lifted output rapidly, with copper metal production is up double digits year on year, but concentrates haven’t kept pace.

Global wind power growth is anticipated to decelerate this year due to various challenges such as escalating costs, inadequate infrastructure, and policy ambiguity. Installations are projected to increase by nearly 6% in 2024, a significant slowdown compared to the nearly 35% surge observed in 2023…