China appears ready to play its rare earths card against Trump in U.S. trade war


Chinese media organizations, including the flagship Communist Party newspaper, strongly hinted Wednesday that Beijing is about to use its dominance of the rare earths market to strike back at the U.S. in the growing trade war. Rare earths, a group of 17 chemical elements, are used to make smartphones and other electronics, military equipment, and electric vehicles, among other goods, and the U.S. relies on China for about 80 percent of its supply. President Trump's administration excluded rare earths from its list of Chinese imports subject to tariffs.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visits to a rare earths plant with his lead trade negotiator last week sparked speculation that China was getting ready to use its dominance of the rare earths market as leverage in the trade war. The editor in chief of the Communist Party-affiliated Global Times newspaper tweeted that China is "seriously" considering restricting rare earths exports to the U.S., and an official at the state planning agency dropped a similar hint.
"The U.S. side wants to use the products made by China's exported rare earths to counter and suppress China's development. The Chinese people will never accept this!" China's official state People's Daily newspaper said in an editorial on Wednesday. "We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!" Official Chinese media uses "Don't say we didn't warn you" sparingly, to warn rivals over serious areas of disagreement, like border disputes, Reuters reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
'We need solutions that prioritize both safety and sustainability'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Book reviews: 'Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference' and 'Is a River Alive?'
Feature A rallying cry for 'moral ambition' and the interwoven relationship between humans and rivers
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside home
speed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Why does the US need China's rare earth metals?
Today's Big Question Beijing has a 'near monopoly' on tech's raw materials
-
Who would win in a China-US trade war?
Today's Big Question Tariff pain will be higher for China but Beijing is betting it can weather the storm
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Trump's plan to rebuild American shipping faces rough waters
Talking Points Fees on China-made ships could disrupt trade