China confirmed that its suspension of export controls on rare earths will extend to the EU, the bloc’s trade chief Maroš Šefčovič said early Saturday after high-level talks with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Friday.
Beijing agreed this week to delay its latest round of rare earth export restrictions for one year, following a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday. This prompted the EU to swiftly seek assurances that the suspension would also cover the bloc.
“China confirmed that the suspension of the October export controls applies to the EU,” Šefčovič wrote on X. “Both sides reaffirmed commitment to continue engagement on improving the implementation of export control policies,” he added.
China has tightened its grip on critical minerals, expanding export controls on rare earths and other materials vital to the clean-tech and defense industries. The EU, which relies on China for about 99 percent of its rare earth supply, has been scrambling to reduce its dependency.
“The EU welcomed China’s 12-month suspension of the relevant export controls published on 9 October 2025,” European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said in a statement. “This is an appropriate and responsible step in the context of ensuring stable global trade flows in a critically important area.”
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