- China will suspend export controls on rare earth minerals for one year after US-China talks
- The export controls halted included mining, smelting, magnetic material manufacturing, and recycling
- China imposed controls in response to US tariffs set to start after an interim trade pact expired
China will suspend its export controls on rare earth minerals for one year after Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to ease trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.
Beijing said the export control measures announced on Oct. 9 will be halted for one year and the government will study and refine specific plans. The country has a virtual monopoly over rare earth minerals, processing technology and capacity.
Exports of technologies and their carriers related to rare earths mining, smelting and separation, as well as metal smelting, magnetic material manufacturing, and the recycling and utilisation of rare earths from secondary sources were halted earlier this month.
The export controls were in response to US tariff measures that were set to kick in after an interim trade pact was due to expire.
"China is willing to work with the US to jointly safeguard and implement the important consensus reached at the meeting between the two heads of state," the Ministry of Commerce said.
China's rare-earth metals are much in demand as the US, the European Union, and India are its top importers.
Beijing clamped controls on the export of specific minerals in July 2023 and steadily expanded the number of rare earths subject to these controls since then.
Trade War Détente
Donald Trump said he had an "amazing meeting" with Xi Jinping, the first sitdown between the two leaders since the former's return to the White House.
The trade war détente would see the US halve fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods. The US president said China also agreed to resume soybean purchases.
The two presidents agreed to enhance cooperation in economic, trade, energy and other fields and to encourage more people-to-people exchanges.
October 30, 2025
The two presidents agreed to maintain interactions on a regular basis. President Trump looked forward to visiting China early next year,… pic.twitter.com/yflpu7VXQpXi emphasized that dialogue is better than confrontation, calling for more communication between the two sides and cooperation in areas such as trade, energy and artificial intelligence, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Trump also will not push ahead with a threatened 100% increase in tariffs he had threatened ahead of the talks to impose starting next month.
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