Why is China's helium import dependency reduction from 95% to 85% strategically significant?

Why is China's helium import dependency reduction from 95% to 85% strategically significant?
China's helium self-sufficiency push is about strategic leverage, not just cost. Domestic gas fields average only 0.03-0.05% helium versus 1-7% in overseas rich fields, making extraction technically demanding. Yet capacity jumped from under 300,000 m3/year pre-2020 to over 20 million m3/year by 2023, though actual output remains low at roughly 19% utilization. The 10% dependency drop masks a bigger shift: China now controls the full chain from extraction to liquefaction and transport. With consumption near 26 million m3 annually and 84% still imported, mostly from Qatar, the remaining gap is a supply-chain vulnerability. Each percentage point of domestic production reduces exposure to geopolitical shocks and gives Beijing more policy room.