China expands military drone export curbs after Ukrainian visit

China has adjusted its export controls on drones intended for military use, as Beijing faces growing criticism from the US and it allies over bolstering Russia’s battlefield efforts in Ukraine.

Drones with high-precision measurement equipment were added to a blacklist by a range of agencies including the Central Military Commission on Wednesday. The changes modify a list published last year and will take effect from Sept. 1. 

While officials removed export bans on consumer-grade drones, the Ministry of Commerce reiterated its stance that civilian equipment should not be used for the “proliferation of mass destruction weapons, terrorism or military purposes.”  

President Xi Jinping’s government rolled out the directive days after Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba visited China for the first time since Russia invaded his nation in 2022. Beijing has repeatedly pushed back against criticisms from the West that it is sending Moscow dual-use items that have military applications.

European officials recently claimed Chinese and Russian companies are developing an attack drone similar to an Iranian model deployed in Ukraine, Bloomberg News reported. China has denied such allegations, saying the Asian country has not provided weapons to any parties of the Ukraine conflict and strictly controls exports of dual-use articles.

China “opposes drone exports being used for non-peaceful purposes, and opposes individual countries imposing illegal sanctions on Chinese companies and individuals on the pretext of using drones,” the Ministry of Commerce added.