Rare Earth Rapprochement: US–China Trade Truce Lifts Mineral Export Ban
As part of a new trade agreement between the United States and China, Beijing is set to lift its export restrictions on rare earth minerals, the White House announced in a statement on Saturday, according to TechCrunch.
The deal was finalized during a recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the White House, China will suspend the export bans announced in October and resume issuing regular export licenses for rare earth elements, gallium, germanium, antimony, and graphite.
This decision effectively nullifies the restrictions imposed in April 2025 and October 2022. China remains the world’s largest producer of rare earth minerals—materials essential for smartphones, semiconductors, and other advanced technologies.
When Beijing initially announced stricter licensing requirements for foreign companies to access these minerals, the Trump administration had threatened to impose an additional 100% tariff. Under the new agreement, however, Washington will suspend those planned tariffs and keep existing trade duties on Chinese goods on hold for one year, the White House added.
DBTech/BMT/OR
