美企绕过禁令，偷拿中国关键矿物！商务部：严打

Group 1 - The article discusses the ongoing "cat and mouse game" in the global resource competition, highlighting China's export controls on key minerals and the attempts by some U.S. companies to circumvent these restrictions through third-country shipments [1][3]. - Following China's ban on antimony exports to the U.S., there has been a significant increase in antimony imports from Thailand and Mexico, with U.S. Customs data showing imports of 3,834 tons of antimony oxide from these countries between December and April, surpassing the total imports from the previous three years [5][6]. - Thailand and Mexico have emerged as the top three export markets for Chinese antimony products in 2023, despite not being in the top ten prior to the export restrictions [5][6]. Group 2 - Industry experts confirm that U.S. companies have been acquiring regulated minerals from China in recent months, indicating a pattern of behavior to bypass export controls [5][9]. - The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has acknowledged the existence of this circumvention and emphasized the importance of stopping such activities for national security [9][15]. - The Chinese government has initiated a special action to combat the smuggling and illegal export of strategic minerals, including antimony and gallium, to prevent illegal outflows [15].