The 27th week of the year began with another escalation in the China-Japan trade dispute, as Beijing added 20 Japanese companies to its export control list. Meanwhile, the European Union sought clarity in its relationship with the Middle Kingdom. The details in our roundup.
China Adds 20 Japanese Firms to Export Control List
China has expanded its export control measures against Japan by adding 20 Japanese companies to its dual-use export watch list, further escalating tensions between the two countries over security and strategic supply chains. The move was announced by China’s Ministry of Commerce on June 29 and took immediate effect.
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Trade Dispute and Export Controls: EU Sets October Deadline for China
The European Union is seeking greater clarity in its relationship with China: by October, the two sides are expected to achieve concrete progress in their ongoing trade dispute. The key areas of focus include more balanced trade and investment relations, export controls, intellectual property rights, and reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This expectation was outlined by EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič during a meeting with China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao in Brussels on Monday.
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Germany and Kazakhstan Explore Closer Cooperation on Critical Raw Materials
Kazakhstan aims to establish itself as a leading producer of critical raw materials. Two years ago, then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed to strengthen cooperation with the Central Asian nation during a state visit. This week, German Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche traveled to Kazakhstan to further those efforts. Kazakhstan is Germany’s most important economic partner in Central Asia and its fourth-largest supplier of oil. The country also holds reserves of 21 of the 34 raw materials that the European Union classifies as strategic. Despite this considerable potential, the visit marked the first trip by a German economics minister to Kazakhstan in 19 years.
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Norra Kärr: Sweden Grants Mining Concession
The Swedish rare earth project Norra Kärr has cleared an important hurdle. According to the developer Leading Edge Materials, the Swedish government has granted its subsidiary GREENNA Mineral AB a mining concession for the project. The concession is valid for 25 years. In March, the Swedish mining authority Bergsstaten had already reviewed the application and forwarded it to the government for approval.
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