According to Reuters, after the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs implemented export controls on gallium and germanium on August 1, companies from many countries are preparing to apply for export licenses or contact Chinese suppliers to stock up as soon as possible. California-based AXT said its Chinese subsidiary Beijing Tongmei Crystal Technology will immediately prepare application materials for purchasing gallium and germanium. A manager at a Chinese germanium producer said it had received inquiries from buyers in Europe, Japan and the United States who wanted to stockpile product before export controls came into effect.

The governments of Japan and South Korea, major importers of both metals, have reacted to China's export controls. The current market impact on this export control is unclear, but it deserves attention.