China Tightens Rare Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Tech Talks

China has implemented stringent new export regulations on rare earth minerals and related technologies, asserting greater control over materials critical to high-tech and defense industries. The rules mandate government approval for all exports containing rare earths and extend oversight to mining, smelting, and magnet production—establishing end-to-end supply chain control.

The policy shift arrives amid escalating global tensions over semiconductor dominance and precedes scheduled talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Beijing's MOVE demonstrates its capacity to weaponize supply chains, with rare earths becoming geopolitical leverage in the technological cold war.

Trump has historically criticized China's trade practices as economically aggressive, while Xi frames such measures as necessary for national security. The rare earth restrictions now emerge as a central bargaining chip in negotiations over technological sovereignty and manufacturing supremacy.