China Proposes Export Controls on 12 Solar Manufacturing Technologies

China has proposed adding 12 photovoltaic manufacturing technologies to its Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted from Export, according to an October 25, 2026 report by China Focus. The draft revision, previously released by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Science and Technology, covers technologies used in polysilicon, silicon wafer and solar cell manufacturing.

The proposed additions include perovskite technologies, thin silicon wafer manufacturing and advanced solar cell processes. The stated aim is to prevent the transfer abroad of critical manufacturing processes and preserve China's industrial lead. The report date does not establish when the draft was released, and the proposal should not be treated as an effective set of export controls.

The focus on manufacturing technology makes the scope of any final rules especially relevant to arrangements involving the transfer of production know-how. Technology licensing, process transfers and technical cooperation connected with overseas manufacturing could face closer scrutiny if they involve technologies covered by the final catalogue. The practical implications would depend on how those technologies and the applicable restrictions are defined.

For companies assessing exposure, the central question is whether a planned activity transfers a covered manufacturing process. The proposal alone does not establish new restrictions on exports of finished solar products, nor does it support a firm conclusion about changes in product availability or prices.

The next consequential details would be the final technical definitions, the treatment of individual technologies within the catalogue and any implementation requirements. Those provisions would help determine which transfers are affected and how broadly the proposal reaches across solar manufacturing partnerships.