China to restrict exports of rare minerals to US defense companies — WSJ
Photo: China to restrict exports of rare earth metals to US defense companies (Getty Images)
The Chinese government is developing a mechanism for exporting rare earth metals to the US, which it hopes will prevent raw materials from falling into the hands of American defense companies, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The agency specifies that the goal of China's new plan is to simultaneously facilitate the supply of rare earths to the US for civilian use by its companies. The regulatory scheme will resemble the end-user verification system introduced in the United States back in 2007.
Under this program, many Chinese companies are granted permission to purchase special goods based on a general license — essentially a simplified export approval mechanism.
They do not need to apply for individual licenses for each purchase. At the same time, Chinese companies are sometimes stripped of this permission, which causes outrage in Beijing, the WSJ notes.
The innovation will allow China to comply with US conditions for promoting the export of rare earth resources. At the same time, according to the agency's sources, Beijing's plans may change in the future.
Earlier, China suspended its ban on exports to the United States of gallium, germanium, antimony, superhard materials, and other rare earth metals, which had been prohibited from export since December 2024.
In addition, on November 6, China suspended for one year the restrictions imposed in March on the supply of dual-use goods to 31 American companies, mainly in the defense and aerospace sectors. This happened after a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea.
