A senior U.S. official travelling with President Donald Trump has said that China will continue to keep exports of rare earth elements flowing, easing global concerns about potential supply disruptions in the strategic mineral market.
The comment comes amid heightened trade diplomacy following Trump’s latest talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, where both sides signaled a willingness to stabilize economic ties despite ongoing competition in technology and security domains.
Rare earths — a group of 17 critical minerals — are crucial for defense systems, electric vehicles, semiconductors, and clean-energy technologies. China currently controls more than 60% of global rare earth production and over 80% of processing capacity, making its export policies closely watched by global industries.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that tariffs on Chinese imports will be reduced to 47% from the current 57%, following what he called an “amazing” meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said “a lot of decisions were made” and indicated that a trade agreement with China will be signed “pretty soon.”
Trump added that there is “no roadblock on rare earths” and that “all the rare earth issue has been settled.” A senior U.S. official traveling with Trump also confirmed that China will keep exports of rare earth elements flowing, easing a key strategic concern for technology and defense supply chains.
