China curbs rare earth exports, raising stakes before Trump-Xi talks
Source: NPR
October 9, 20258:46 AM ET
BEIJING — China introduced new restrictions on exports of rare earths and related technology on Thursday, in what analysts say is an attempt to boost Beijing's leverage in trade talks with the United States ahead of an upcoming leaders' meeting.
The main target of the Ministry of Commerce's so-called "unreliable entities list" appears to be U.S. defense technology companies, which rely on rare earths from China. Halifax International Security Forum, an annual security summit held in Halifax, Canada, is also on the list.
The moves come less than a month before President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to meet in South Korea on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific summit – the first face-to-face meeting between Xi and a U.S. president in nearly a year.
China processes around 90% of the world's rare earths, which are critical inputs in everything from smartphones to advanced fighter jets. Beijing has used its dominance in rare earths to apply pressure to the United States as trade friction intensified this year following Trump's "liberation day" tariffs.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/2025/10/09/g-s1-92685/china-curbs-rare-earth-exports-raising-stakes-before-trump-xi-talks