Donald Trump with Xi Jinping (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump’s China visit failed to deliver a breakthrough on one of the most critical parts of the US-China trade war – Beijing’s restrictions on rare earth exports vital to America’s military industry.
Despite hopes the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping could ease tensions, there was no agreement reached to loosen restrictions on the supply of rare earth minerals and magnets.
In fact, Chinese academic Zhang Weiwei has warned Beijing is prepared to tighten controls even further – particularly against the US military.
He said: “China has adopted this already on the proper management of rare earth materials.
“Since last year, China has exercised stricter control over the export of rare earth to the United States.
“It had to do with trade war and tech war. And China said: no rare earth for US military and military establishments.
“China now can exercise stricter control.”
The remarks has triggered alarm, with geopolitical commentator Furkan Gözükara claiming: “The Pentagon is in absolute panic.”
He added: “Prof. Zhang Weiwei confirms China has officially cut off all rare earth exports to the US military.
“He exposes how Washington’s disastrous tech war completely backfired, leaving their weapons manufacturing severely crippled.”
Beijing has been in a trade war with the US (Image: Getty)
Rare earth materials are essential for advanced US weapons systems, semiconductors, fighter jets, submarines, missiles, radar systems and precision-guided weapons.
A recent Pentagon briefing warned that securing rare earth elements is now a “national security imperative,” highlighting growing concerns over America’s reliance on Chinese-controlled supply chains.
According to the Pentagon report, China controls the overwhelming majority of global rare earth processing capacity, creating a major strategic vulnerability for the US defence industry.
The Pentagon has already poured hundreds of millions of dollars into domestic mining and processing projects in an attempt to reduce dependence on Beijing.
A defence official admitted that the US could no longer afford to rely so heavily on overseas supply.
“Rebuilding the critical minerals and rare earth magnet sectors of the US industrial base won’t happen overnight,” the official said.
Trump’s visit to China had been seen as a potential opportunity to ease tensions over critical mineral exports after months of disruption caused by retaliatory trade measures on both sides.
However, no major agreement emerged from the trip.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer admitted this week that China was still “dragging its feet” over export approvals despite previous agreements intended to restore supply flows.
“We’ve certainly seen the rare earths come back up to better levels. Sometimes it’s slow,” Greer said.
“There are times when we have to go and make our point.”
The ongoing restrictions have already caused shortages across parts of the US aerospace and semiconductor industries, with some critical materials remaining in limited supply despite months of negotiations.
Analysts say the standoff demonstrates how China’s control over critical minerals has become one of Beijing’s most powerful weapons in the wider economic conflict with Washington.
