China imposes an immediate temporary export ban on helium, with the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs invoking the Foreign Trade Law to secure supplies for semiconductor fabs and hospitals.The measure follows global shocks after an Iranian attack damaged Qatar’s Ras Laffan complex and as Russia reduces exports to Asia, a squeeze that has sent pure helium tube prices up over 660 percent and imported helium up more than 500 percent since February.Analysts say the ban is a self-protective step in line with past export curbs and is designed to shield the semiconductor and artificial intelligence sectors, but it may add pressure to global markets while the timeline for supply normalisation remains uncertain.