China’s Rare Earth Exports Rebound 9% in October After Three-Month Decline
China’s rare earth exports rose by 9% in October compared to September, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on Friday. This marks the first month-on-month increase after three consecutive months of declines.
As the world’s largest supplier of rare earth materials, China exported 4,343.5 metric tons in October. The report did not specify which products or destination countries contributed to the rise, with a detailed breakdown expected on November 20.
Earlier in October, Beijing announced an expansion of its rare earth export controls, initially introduced in April, adding five more elements and several refining technologies to the restricted list.
However, following an October 30 meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, both leaders agreed to ensure that rare earth exports from China would continue flowing. Shortly afterward, China stated that it would suspend the newly announced export controls for one year, though the April restrictions remain active, continuing to affect global auto and electronics supply chains.
For the year-to-date period, China’s rare earth exports reached 52,699.2 tons, representing a 10.5% increase compared to the same period last year.
