Donald Trump-Xi Jinping Summit Puts China’s Rare Earth Controls in the Spotlight

Rare earth exports from China to the United States have improved in recent months, although Beijing continues to delay approvals for certain shipments, according to US trade representative Jamieson Greer. Speaking during US President Donald Trump’s visit to China, Greer said Washington had seen better movement in rare earth supplies, but added that some companies still face hurdles in securing export licences.

“We’ve certainly seen the rare ⁠earths come back up to better levels. Sometimes it’s slow. There are times when we have to go and make our point,” he said.

Greer added that US officials continue to engage directly with Chinese authorities whenever American companies encounter supply-related issues.

China’s Export Controls

China’s rare earth export controls, introduced in April 2025 in retaliation against Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, continue to restrict exports of several rare earth materials despite a trade agreement reached in October 2025.

The White House had earlier said China agreed to allow shipments to flow freely under the deal. But export approvals for certain materials remain tightly controlled.

Yttrium Shipments Offer Relief

Greer said the US had recently received several large shipments of yttrium, a rare earth element produced only in China. The mineral has remained in short supply for more than a year, creating shortages across the US semiconductor and aerospace industries.The latest shipments are expected to offer temporary relief to affected sectors.

Rare earth minerals have become a major source of leverage for China amid broader trade and technology tensions with Washington. According to the International Energy Agency, China accounted for 59% of global rare earth mining and 91% of refining activity in 2024. This shows its dominant position in the supply chain.

Tech Access In Focus

The summit between Trump and Xi is also focused on access for American technology companies operating in China. Several prominent US business leaders, including Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Apple chief Tim Cook, accompanied Trump during the visit. Trump has indicated that expanding access to China’s market for American businesses remains a key objective of the talks. Xi, meanwhile, signalled openness towards deeper business engagement, saying that “China’s door to opening up will only open wider.”

Supply Curbs Remain

The current diplomatic tone marks a shift from tensions seen just over a year ago, when China became the first major economy to retaliate against Trump’s tariffs. Despite the 2025 trade truce that reduced tariffs between the two countries, several restrictions linked to critical minerals and rare earth magnets remain unresolved.

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