Tech
Why China's Helium Export Ban, Despite Just a 1.6% Global Production Share, Is Shaking the Global Semiconductor Market
The helium supply risk that Intel's CEO flagged in June 2026 is not directly connected to China's export ban three weeks later. What links the two is the attack on Qatar in March and the resulting production halt. This article traces the timeline of the global supply network to unpack why China—a country with just a 1.6% production share that depends on imports—resorted to such an unusual measure.