Hardly any new information on rare earths following the meeting between the Chinese and U.S. heads of state.
The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, last week was described as positive by both sides. However, few details or concrete outcomes have been made public so far. There is also no new status on the export restrictions on rare earths, which have been in place since April 2025. A White House statement, however, indicates that China will address US concerns about potential supply bottlenecks in rare earths and other critical minerals. These include yttrium, scandium, neodymium, and indium.
In addition, China is said to address bans and restrictions on the sale of plants, equipment, and technologies for the production and processing of rare earths. This likely refers to regulations announced last October, which were suspended one month later for a one-year period. According to Chinese sources, this pause remains in effect until November 10, 2026. If implemented, the rules would have far-reaching consequences, as foreign companies would be required to obtain approval to export magnets containing even small amounts of Chinese rare earth materials. The same would apply if Chinese technologies were used in mining, processing, or magnet manufacturing.
China has not yet confirmed the White House’s statements and remains reserved. However, remarks from the United States’ chief trade representative, Jamieson Greer, suggest ongoing dialogue between the two sides. According to him, exports of rare earths from China to the US have recently increased again. If US companies encounter issues with export regulations, they would reach out to their Chinese counterparts, which Greer describes as constructive. Meanwhile, Beijing’s fundamental stance, restricting exports when they may pose risks to national security under so-called “dual-use” considerations, appears unchanged.
Xi Jinping’s return visit to Washington, D.C., is expected in the fall, shortly before the possible entry into force of the new restrictions.
Feature image: via Canva, montage rawmaterials.net
