Overview
- Beijing is considering a validated end‑user system for rare earths that targets Pentagon‑linked buyers, according to the Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the plan.
- The proposed framework would fast‑track export approvals for non‑military users while making approvals harder for firms tied to the U.S. military, the reports say.
- Automotive and aerospace companies could face new hurdles because many supply both commercial customers and defense programs.
- Details, scope and timing remain unsettled, and sources caution the plan could change before any implementation.
- The report follows China’s October tightening of rare‑earth export rules and Trump’s Oct. 30 statement that China would keep supplies flowing to the United States.