China’s rare earth exports rebounded in March, maintaining a steady global footprint one year after Beijing tightened its grip on the strategic minerals. However, new customs data reveals a divergence in trade patterns, with shipments to the United States and Japan plummeting amid escalating national security friction.

China's Commerce Ministry (MOFCOM) on Thursday detailed a massive new state-led initiative titled "Export to China," aiming at balancing trade flows, while navigating a delicate relationship with the West.

At a think tank event today, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer offered a number of comments on U.S.-China trade issues as part of a discussion of the upcoming visit by President Trump to China.

China's exports of rare earths and related high-value products saw a volatile but significant start to 2026, according to the latest official Customs data. While February experienced a month-on-month decline, the dip is largely attributed to the nationwide Lunar New Year holiday season, which traditionally slows industrial and

China's exports of rare earths and products using rare earths rose during the final two months of 2025, according to official Customs data. The year-end growth in both volume and value reflects a broader trend of increased activity after the initial dip in May.

Official data shows that in October, China's overall rare earth exports experienced mixed results but were mostly stable. Rare earth magnet exports continued to grow year-on-year, underscoring the continued and complex reliance of global supply chains on Chinese rare earth processing power.

Last week, the U.S. updated its critical mineral list. This piece describes these recent updates, comparing the critical and strategic minerals identified by the United States and China, and indicating which materials are currently subject to China's export control regime. Several years ago, the U.S. Department