Strengthening export controls on rare earth-related items
demonstrates the determination to safeguard national security
China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association
Rare earths are hailed as the "industrial vitamins," possessing excellent magnetic, optical, electrical, and catalytic properties. They are indispensable key elements for regulating and enhancing the performance of advanced materials in light, heat, electricity, and magnetism. They serve as critical raw material support for strategic industries such as advanced weaponry, aerospace components, wind power generation, NEVs, robotics, and intelligent manufacturing.
China is the world's largest producer and exporter of rare earths. Over the past three decades, China's rare earth industry has continuously improved its industrial system, scientifically regulated domestic supply, enhanced resource integration, and promoted mergers and acquisitions. While achieving coordinated development across the entire industry chain, it has actively expanded global partnerships, adhered to genuine multilateralism, and made significant contributions to promoting global economic development.
Currently, as the world undergoes profound changes and international security faces numerous challenges, to effectively prevent rare earth-related products from being diverted to improper uses and users, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly issued an announcement on April 4, deciding to implement export controls on certain rare earth-related items. The policy will take effect immediately upon issuance.
Rare earth-related items have dual-use properties for both civilian and military purposes. The Chinese government, drawing fully on international practices, has implemented export controls on rare earth-related items, demonstrating its firm resolve to uphold world peace and security. Based on past practices of enterprises, as long as they do not engage in activities that harm China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests, export controls will not affect their normal business and trade activities, nor will they impact the stability and security of the international industry chain and supply chain.
Chinese rare earth enterprises will comply with the announcement's requirements, strengthen compliant trade, adhere to high-level opening-up, and ensure that related items are not used for military purposes or in sensitive fields. At the same time, they will continue to enhance international mutually beneficial cooperation with friendly countries, deepen the synergy and integration between upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain, and achieve a positive interaction between high-quality industrial development and high-level security.
