Top Democratic senators are calling on the Commerce Department to explain its approval for the export of a large shipment of graphite to China that the lawmakers say could bolster the Chinese military’s missile forces.
In a letter sent Monday to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and three others asked that the shipment of more than 455,000 pounds of fine grain bulk graphite be halted until they get answers on why it received clearance from Commerce’s export-monitoring division.
In their letter, lawmakers said Chinese leaders are working to modernize their military and that fine grain graphite is a key ingredient in missiles built for warfare and space launch efforts. The lawmakers said they oppose exporting any materials to China that could expand its missile forces.
Commerce Department officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.
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