China Says Some Rare Earths Exports Approved Ahead of Trade Talks With US
Udumbara
China has approved a number of licenses for rare earths export applications, its commerce ministry said on June 7—a day before trade negotiations between Chinese and U.S. officials in which the critical metals are expected to be top of the agenda.
The Chinese authorities “noticed that with the development of robots, new energy vehicles, and other industries, the demand for medium and heavy rare earths in the civilian field continues to rise in all countries,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement late on June 7.
After assessing applications for export licenses related to rare earth items, “China has approved a certain number of qualified applications in line with the law,” the ministry’s spokesperson said.
It didn’t specify which countries or industries received these licenses.
Rare earths, a group of 17 metals used in everything from smartphones and medical imaging techniques to military equipment, has come under greater spotlight amid the trade tensions between China and the West.
“There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products,” the president said after the call.
However, China’s foreign ministry didn’t mention the rare earths exports in its summary of the talks between Xi and Trump.
When asked about the details of their talks regarding rare earths minerals during a regular briefing on June 6, the foreign ministry skirted the question, directing reporters to the commerce ministry.
“China has repeatedly outlined its position on relevant issues. I’d refer you to competent authorities for anything specific,” Lin Jian, the ministry’s spokesman, told reporters in Beijing.
Later that day, Trump confirmed that Beijing had agreed to restart the flow of rare earths minerals to the United States.
“We’re very far advanced on the China deal,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Beijing’s latest statement came a day ahead of a meeting between top U.S. and Chinese commerce officials in London.
Trump said in a social media post last week that the U.S. negotiation team would include Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
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Leading the Chinese delegation will be Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, who is on a five-day visit to the UK starting June 8, according to a June 7 statement on the ministry’s website.
According to White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett, U.S. officials will focus on the resumption of rare earths supply during the upcoming trade negotiations with China in London.
“Those exports of critical minerals have been getting released at a rate that is, you know, higher than it was, but not as high as we believe we agreed to in Geneva,” Hassett said during an appearance on CBS’s Face the Nation on June 8.
