Overview
- Following the Trump–Xi meeting in Busan, Beijing paused the October expansion of rare-earth controls for one year while making no public change to April’s per-shipment licensing rules.
- Industry sources say MOFCOM outlined plans for general, streamlined licenses that could be valid for a year and allow larger export volumes, though implementation may take months.
- Exporters were told to ready more detailed customer documentation and defense-linked buyers are expected to face stricter screening; just over half of 2,000 EU applications since April have been approved.
- Official data show rare-earth exports rose 9% in October from September to 4,343.5 tons, the first monthly increase after three declines, with a detailed breakdown due November 20; year-to-date exports are up 10.5%.
- State media and a MOFCOM posting described new export controls for 2026–27 on silver, antimony and tungsten, a reported move that underscores broader regulatory shifts across strategic metals.