China has suspended a ban on exports of gallium, germanium and antimony to the U.S., its commerce ministry said on Sunday, although the three metals remain subject to broader export controls requiring shippers to first get licences from Beijing. China restricted exports of the three metals between August 2023 and September 2024 before singling out the U.S. for an outright ban last December in response to new curbs imposed on its chip sector by Washington. The ban caused short