Beijing is planning to curb the export of technology used to extract minerals critical for the growth of the global electric vehicle (EV) industry, as a tech rivalry with Washington escalates ahead of the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump later this month.

China's Ministry of Commerce is taking comment on a plan that would extend export restrictions to technology tied to the production of electric vehicle batteries.

China hopes it's found its leverage in the tech war with Washington. The country holds a dominant position in the processing of critical minerals like gallium and lithium. Chinese companies like battery giant CATL have also emerged as key suppliers to automakers around the world.

According to , Beijing is set to impose new restrictions on exports of technologies related to battery component production and the processing of key metals, as global trade frictions continue to intensify.