China keeps 2025 rare‑earth export curbs despite Trump–Xi Beijing talks

President Donald Trump left Beijing on May 15 without a confirmed rollback of China's rare-earth export controls, leaving in place one of the most sensitive disputes in the U.S.-China trade relationship. Chinese customs data reviewed by Reuters before the summit showed shipments of several tightly controlled heavy rare earths still running well below pre-curb levels. China's Ministry of Commerce has continued to defend the restrictions it announced on April 4, 2025, saying eligible export applications can be approved. The White House and Beijing both signaled that rare earths were on the agenda in the May 14-15 talks, but neither side announced a new easing measure after the meeting. ### Which controls are still in place after the Beijing meeting? China's Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs announced export controls on some medium and heavy rare-earth related items on April 4, 2025. The official notice covered items linked to samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium, and said exporters must apply for licenses under China's export-control rules. (money.usnews.com) Reuters reported on May 13, 2026 that Beijing had rolled back a wider set of restrictions after the October 2025 summit in South Korea but left the April 2025 rare-earth controls in place. A Reuters report on May 15 said Trump departed Beijing with no major trade breakthrough, and no official statement from either side announced a rare-earth concession. (english.mofcom.gov.cn) ### What did the trade data show going into the summit? Chinese customs data cited by Reuters showed exports of yttrium, dysprosium and terbium were still down about 50% from the 12 months before the April 2025 controls. Reuters said those materials are used in aerospace, defense, semiconductors and powerful magnets found in electronics and manufactured goods, including electric cars. (money.usnews.com) Ilya Epikhin, a senior principal at Arthur D. Little, told Reuters that headline export volumes can mask the pressure point because China appears to be licensing some shipments while keeping leverage over strategically sensitive supply chains. That assessment was his, not an official government position, but it matched the pattern Reuters described in the customs data. (money.usnews.com) ### Why were rare earths central to Trump's trip? Trump and Xi opened their Beijing summit on May 14 with trade and security issues on the agenda, including tariffs and rare earths, CNBC reported. Reuters said a senior U.S. official told reporters before the meeting that conversations with Beijing on rare earths were continuing and that both sides wanted stability, though it was unclear whether any extension of the existing arrangement would come during or after the visit. (money.usnews.com) The October 2025 understanding matters because the White House had previously said China would effectively eliminate current and proposed controls on rare earth elements. Reuters reported that outcome did not fully materialize, because Beijing removed some other measures but kept the April 2025 rare-earth licensing regime. (cnbc.com) ### Why do these specific minerals matter to manufacturers? Dysprosium and terbium are used in high-performance permanent magnets that need to keep magnetic strength at higher temperatures, according to industry materials from SFA Oxford. Reuters reported that the most constrained Chinese exports are the same specialty rare earths used in magnets, semiconductors, aerospace and defense applications. (money.usnews.com) U.S. Geological Survey data show the United States remains heavily dependent on imports for many rare-earth materials, and a USGS chart published in March 2025 said U.S. consumption of yttrium was fully import reliant, with 93% supplied by China on an averaged 2020-2023 basis. That does not measure every downstream product directly, but it shows why any licensing bottleneck in China can quickly affect buyers of magnet-heavy equipment and components. (sfa-oxford.com) ### What happens next in the negotiations? May 13 Reuters reporting said U.S. and Chinese officials were considering extending a truce on Chinese rare-earth export curbs, with the issue due to be discussed alongside possible Chinese purchases of Boeing aircraft and U.S. farm and energy goods. As of Trump's departure on May 15, no public announcement had confirmed that extension. (usgs.gov) The next public clues are likely to come from statements by the White House, China's Ministry of Commerce or any follow-up trade readouts tied to the October 2025 framework. Until then, the April 4, 2025 export-control notice remains the operative Chinese policy on the covered rare-earth items. (english.mofcom.gov.cn) (money.usnews.com)