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11h ago

U.S. Escalates Response to China’s Rare Earth Export Curbs as Officials Press for Talks

Washington ties a longer tariff pause to Beijing delaying the still-drafted export rules.

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A sample of monazite, a mineral used in the rare earth industry to extract elements such as cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium, is displayed next to a magnification glass at the Geological Museum of China in Beijing, China, October 14, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
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Overview

  • U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer labeled China’s new rare earth regime a global supply‑chain power grab, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. and allies would neither be commanded nor controlled.
  • Officials said Beijing’s rules remain drafted and not yet implemented, with the U.S. signaling the current tariff truce could be extended if China backs off; President Donald Trump has threatened 100% tariffs starting Nov. 1.
  • The administration outlined active industrial measures including price floors, forward buying, strategic stockpiles and potential additional equity stakes in key firms, building on July’s DoD deal with MP Materials.
  • China’s Ministry of Commerce accused the U.S. of creating panic, defended the controls as national‑security measures and indicated openness to talks ahead of a potential Trump–Xi meeting at APEC in South Korea.
  • China dominates rare earth mining and processing and the new controls are set to phase in beginning Nov. 8 and Dec. 1, heightening risks for sectors from EVs and semiconductors to critical defense systems.