The Chinese government is tightening controls over exports of two key materials used to make computer chips. From next month, special licenses will be needed to export gallium and germanium from China, which is the world's biggest producer of the metals.中国正在加强限制两项关键芯片材料出口，这两大芯片关键材料就是金属镓和锗。中国是世界上最大的金属生产国，从下个月开始，出口镓和锗将需要特别许可证。It comes after Washington's efforts to curb Chinese access to some advanced microprocessors. The announcement comes just days before a high-stakes trip to Beijing by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.此前，美国大力限制中国获得一些先进的微处理器。美国财政部长珍妮特·耶伦 (Janet Yellen) 即将访问北京的几天前，中国宣布了这一出口限令。On Monday, China's Ministry of Commerce said the restrictions were needed to "safeguard national security and interests".周一，中国商务部表示，这些限制是“维护国家安全和利益”所必需的。
The silvery metals are used in semiconductor, communications and military equipment. They are also key materials in products like solar panels. Semiconductors, which power everything from mobile phones to military hardware, are at the centre of a bitter dispute between the world's two largest economies.这些金属用于半导体、通信和军事设备，它们也是太阳能电池板等产品的关键材料。半导体为从手机到军事硬件的各种产品提供动力，是中美之争的核心所在。The US has taken steps to restrict China's access to technology it fears could be put to military use, such as chips used for supercomputing and artificial intelligence.美国已采取措施限制中国获得其担心可能用于军事用途的技术，例如用于超级计算和人工智能的芯片。In October, Washington announced that it would require licences for companies exporting chips to China using US tools or software, no matter where they are made in the world.10月，华盛顿宣布，使用美国工具或软件向中国出口芯片的公司将需要获得许可证，无论这些芯片是产自何地。The efforts have been joined by countries including the Netherlands and Japan. Last week, the Netherlands announced that it would restrict exports of certain semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This followed plans to restrict its "most advanced" microchip technology exports, which the Netherlands announced earlier this year.荷兰和日本等国家也纷纷效仿。上周，荷兰宣布将限制某些半导体制造设备的出口。此前，荷兰今年早些时候宣布了限制其“最先进”微芯片技术出口的计划。
The controls are expected to affect Dutch chip equipment maker ASML, a key player in the global microchip supply chain.这些控制措施预计将影响荷兰芯片设备制造商ASML，该公司是全球微芯片供应链的关键参与者。Meanwhile, Japan plans to restrict some of its computer-chip making exports. The measures, which were announced in March, will affect 23 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. China has frequently called the US a "tech hegemony" in response to export controls imposed by Washington.与此同时，日本计划限制部分计算机芯片制造的出口。该措施于3月份宣布，将影响23种半导体制造设备。中国经常称美国为“科技霸权”，以回应华盛顿实施的出口管制。In recent months, Beijing has imposed restrictions on US firms linked to the American military, such as aerospace company Lockheed Martin.近几个月来，中国对与美国军方有联系的美国公司实施了限制，例如航空航天公司洛克希德·马丁公司。US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who is due to make a four-day visit to China from Thursday, has warned against breaking economic ties between Washington and Beijing.美国财政部长珍妮特·耶伦将于周四开始对中国进行为期四天的访问，她表示不要中美之间的经济联系。
"I think we gain and China gains from trade and investment that is as open as possible, and it would be disastrous for us to attempt to decouple from China," she said, during an appearance before Congress last month.“我认为，我们和中国都从尽可能开放的贸易和投资中获益，如果我们试图与中国脱钩，那将是灾难性的，”她上个月在国会露面时表示。Ms Yellen will be the second senior US official to visit the country this year. In June, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing, restarting high-level communications between the rival superpowers.耶伦女士将是今年访问中国的第二位美国高级官员。6月，美国国务卿安东尼·布林肯在北京与中国国家主席习近平举行会谈，重启两个超级大国之间的高层交往。
翻译：Gleen
