Exclusive: China slows exports of key optical, aerospace metals to Taiwan

Supply ChainGermanium- and quartz-based materials as well as some magnets affected, sources sayChina controls the supplies of numerous key industrial materials, including germanium. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters and Getty Images)CHENG TING-FANG and LAULY LIAugust 20, 2026 13:42 JSTTAIPEI -- China is restricting or delaying exports of key aerospace and optical materials to Taiwan, creating painful supply chain bottlenecks for industries in the key Asian tech economy, Nikkei Asia has learned.