The Wall Street Journal reported on May 9: "Some little-known Chinese companies are openly exporting dual-use items such as engines and batteries, disregarding U.S. controls. The expanding trade of this kind represents one of the greatest challenges faced by U.S. non-proliferation officials in the era of drone warfare."
The dilemma described in this report stems not merely from "some Chinese enterprises ignoring regulations," but rather from the United States' attempt to use a national control system to sever itself from a globalized market.
The reason such trade continues to expand lies in the inherent dual-use nature of components like engines and batteries, combined with China's strong supply chain advantages in these fields.
U.S. media claim that certain Chinese enterprises are "ignoring unilateral U.S. sanctions" and exporting engines, batteries, and other items usable in military drones to specific countries.
From a narrative perspective, this story unfolds step by step, characterizing the issue as a "challenge" and alleging that these firms have concealed shipment information through tactics such as "mislabeling" or using shell companies based in Hong Kong, thereby constructing a sense of "justified threat" in public discourse.
The underlying purpose is to provide Washington with an excuse to escalate restrictions and sanctions against Chinese enterprises, ultimately serving the broader strategic competition framework with China.
This revelation also exposes the awkward reality of deep reliance coupled with inability to exert control: engine (motor) production heavily depends on rare-earth magnets—China dominates at least 90% of global capacity—while the high-performance battery industry is similarly under Chinese control. Switching entirely to U.S.-made components would cause the cost of manufacturing a single drone to surge by 100% to 400%. Even a former U.S. Department of Defense supply chain expert has acknowledged that expanding domestic production capacity will inevitably be "slow and painful."
China has established strict legal frameworks for regulation. The 2026 Annual Catalogue of Dual-Use Items and Technologies Subject to Import and Export Licensing, recently issued, is a normative regulation designed to prevent such equipment from being used for non-civilian purposes.
The notion of Chinese companies "disregarding controls" more accurately reflects a mismatch between American regulatory logic and the realities of a globalized market system. Under immense cost and production pressure, markets naturally make their own choices. This not only refutes claims that Chinese companies deliberately violate rules, but also explains why substantial trade flows persist beyond formal regulations.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864818639815680/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.