The People’s Republic of China’s governing claque of men and women are engaging in them. Again. Or still. This is The Wall Street Journal‘s lede:

China will loosen its export restrictions on semiconductors made by Nexperia, its Commerce Ministry said….

However.

China will allow exports of Nexperia chips for eligible cases, the Commerce Ministry said Saturday, without specifying the criteria.

Meaning, I fearlessly predict, that Nexperia’s exports from the PRC will be slow-walked, blocked, and otherwise interfered with for the foreseeable future. Just as with any other non-PRC company doing semiconductor business from inside the PRC. Lacking export criteria, the PRC has left itself wiggle room for blue whale pods in which to employ those weasel words. The PRC’s Commerce Ministry also made no mention at all regarding loosening export restrictions on rare earth magnets or rare earth ore.

Nexperia—and everyone else outside of the PRC—would do well to move their raw material production, assembly, and manufacturing facilities—all of them, not just those related to rare earths—entirely outside of the PRC.