U.S. warns China of weaponising rare earth dominance in trade talks
U.S. officials say China is leveraging its control of rare earths and other critical minerals as a political tool, prompting Washington to push back.
David Perdue, the U.S. ambassador to China, warned that Beijing is turning its dominance over rare earths and other strategic minerals into a geopolitical lever, imposing regulations that could expose firms to detention, criminal prosecution or asset loss if they bypass Chinese channels. He said this behavior represents a global threat that Washington deems intolerable. Perdue also noted that the United States once led in sectors such as rare-earth magnets, shipbuilding and pharmaceuticals, but those advantages have eroded over the past two decades, partly due to policy choices that fostered dependence on China.
Jamieson Greer, a senior U.S. trade official, said the Trump administration is seeking larger and quicker shipments of Chinese rare earths and has discussed the issue directly with President Xi. The two sides are using a two-month review period to evaluate China’s compliance with earlier obligations, while also examining agricultural and energy commitments.
