Hong Kong Customs has confirmed the seizure of a batch of suspected smuggled antimony ingots, which are controlled materials of ours. It is also reported that the US military and their intelligence agencies, in collaboration with Hong Kong's organized crime groups, attempted to smuggle controlled items. Recently, Hong Kong Customs officially released a statement, indicating that approximately 25 tons of antimony ingots were seized in a cargo yard near the border with mainland China in northern Hong Kong in March. As early as August 2014, China's Ministry of Commerce and General Administration of Customs issued Announcement No. 33, implementing export control on antimony superhard materials and related items starting from September 15, 2024. This control covers a wide range, including antimony and its raw materials, antimony metal and related products, antimony oxides, indium antimonide, as well as antimony metallurgical separation technology and equipment. [Image: https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/3cf98fb6624b4a6f884c1d54e5a48724~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1744990293&x-signature=ZwFo9TWVs4c8i6wYBcKy2jncjSM%3D] Although the price of antimony is not expensive, currently around 300,000 yuan per ton for antimony ingots, it plays an irreplaceable role in the fields of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, national defense, and military industries. Its high strength, corrosion resistance, and unique thermal contraction and cold expansion properties make it an essential material in weapon manufacturing. Additionally, its low ignition point gives it a unique advantage in the field of flame-retardant materials, and no more effective flame-retardant substitute than antimony trioxide has been found so far. Antimony ranks first on the list of EU's important strategic reserve metals. Globally, countries such as China, Russia, Bolivia, and the United States possess antimony resources, with China having the richest reserves, good-quality minerals, advanced refining techniques, and a complete industrial chain. Although the United States has antimony mines, they have limited reserves and poor mineral quality, and previously relied on over 60% of its antimony products from China. It should be noted that export control does not completely ban exports but aims to ensure corporate interests by reducing export volumes and increasing prices, while the more important goal is to manage end-users. Since the implementation of the control, the United States and Western countries have indeed shown obvious anxiety, accelerating investment in improving extraction and recycling capabilities while trying every possible means to bypass the control to obtain relevant materials. The smuggling case of antimony ingots seized in Hong Kong, although Customs did not explicitly accuse the involvement of the US intelligence agencies and military, clearly goes beyond ordinary commercial behavior given the scale of the smuggling and the strategic value of antimony. Normal industrial use can apply for export permits through legitimate channels, making smuggling unnecessary. This reflects that the "white glove" strategy of smuggling strategic materials by US intelligence agencies has become a common practice. This incident also exposes some loopholes in our export control system, requiring timely improvement of regulatory measures. In the future, we should strengthen monitoring of the flow of strategic materials, especially border controls in special areas like Hong Kong, to prevent the illegal outflow of important strategic resources. At the same time, vigilance against other countries circumventing control through third-party transshipment is necessary to ensure the security of our country's strategic resources. [Link: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7491970223092941322/] Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views, and you are welcome to express your stance using the "thumbs up/thumbs down" buttons below.