China to impose export license rules on electric passenger cars, restricting 'parallel exports'

China will place pure electric passenger cars under export license management, marking the first time electric vehicles (EVs) fall under trade controls, a move aimed at cracking down on unauthorized parallel exports and improving product quality, after-sales service, and brand reputation overseas.

On September 26, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Administration for Market Regulation issued a joint announcement that, starting from January 2026, pure electric passenger cars will be subject to export license management. According to the