China has announced stringent new controls on rare earth exports, targeting American supply chain vulnerabilities. The move has triggered immediate retaliation threats from the Trump administration, ending months of trade war calm between the economic superpowers.
China Implements Sweeping Rare Earth Export Restrictions
China’s Ministry of Commerce has issued dramatic new export controls on rare earth elements, according to reports, potentially giving Beijing significant leverage in ongoing trade negotiations with the United States. The measures, detailed in “announcement No. 62 of 2025,” require foreign companies to obtain Chinese government approval for exporting products containing even minimal amounts of rare earths and mandate declaration of intended use.