China’s Commerce Ministry to Trump: Rare-Earth Export Curbs Are Not Bans

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) says its caller rare-earth export controls are lawful national-security steps — not broad bans — and that licenses volition beryllium issued for eligible civilian trade, according to a spokesperson’s Q&A posted connected X Sunday greeting section time.

Rare earths — a radical of 17 elements utilized successful permanent-magnet motors for electrical vehicles (EVs) and upwind turbines, defence electronics and different high-tech cogwheel — inhabit an outsized relation successful proviso chains due to the fact that China dominates the sector.

Beijing accounts for astir 70% of planetary accumulation and astir 90% of processing and refining; truthful licensing shifts tin ripple downstream adjacent erstwhile mining oregon last manufacturing happens elsewhere.

In remarks published lone hours ago, the MOFCOM spokesperson framed the Oct. 9 enactment — taken with the General Administration of Customs — arsenic portion of a longer effort to “refine” China’s export power strategy successful enactment with home instrumentality and non-proliferation obligations.

The spokesperson cited the subject relevance of medium- and dense uncommon earths and said partners were notified successful beforehand done bilateral export-control dialog mechanisms.

Implementation, the ministry said, volition hinge connected licensing alternatively than prohibition.

Reviews volition beryllium conducted nether law, licenses volition beryllium granted wherever applications qualify, and Beijing is “actively considering” facilitation measures — including imaginable wide licenses and licence exemptions — to beforehand morganatic trade.

The spokesperson besides said China had assessed the measures’ effects up of clip and expects the broader supply-chain interaction to beryllium “very limited.” The connection to commercialized users was explicit: compliant civilian exports “can get approval.”

Responding to Washington — portion leaving country for talks

MOFCOM besides addressed President Donald Trump's comments from Oct. 10 connected Truth Social astir an further 100% tariff connected Chinese imports (becoming effectual Nov. 1, 2025) and prospective U.S. export controls connected “critical software.”

The spokesperson called the American presumption a “double standard,” pointing to the breadth of U.S. power lists and de minimis rules arsenic examples of Washington’s expansive approach.

At the aforesaid time, the ministry emphasized process, saying China “does not want” a commercialized warfare but “is not afraid” of one, and urging a instrumentality to established consultation channels to negociate differences connected a reciprocal basis. The spokesperson said China would instrumentality “resolute measures” to support its interests if the U.S. proceeds.

Separate comments criticized U.S. larboard fees owed to instrumentality effect Oct. 14 connected definite Chinese-linked vessels.

MOFCOM described those fees arsenic unilateral and inconsistent with WTO rules and bilateral agreements. China, the ministry said, volition levy peculiar larboard fees connected U.S.-linked vessels nether home regulations — characterizing the measurement arsenic a antiaircraft countermeasure aimed astatine safeguarding the rights of Chinese companies and maintaining just contention successful shipping.

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