China Rare Earth Exports To US Show Signs Of Recovery
Rare earth exports from China to the United States are improving, although Beijing continues to delay approval for some shipments, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Thursday.
Speaking during an interview on Bloomberg Television, Greer said Chinese authorities still move slowly on certain export licences, forcing U.S. officials to intervene on behalf of affected companies.
“I would give them a passing grade on this,” Greer said.
He added that exports of rare earth materials had increased in recent months, even though delays continue to affect parts of the supply chain.
“We’ve certainly seen the rare earths come back up to better levels. Sometimes it’s slow. There are times when we have to go and make our point,” he said.
Export Controls Continue To Restrict Shipments
China introduced export controls on rare earth materials in April 2025 as a response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs.
Despite an agreement reached last October, under which the White House said China would allow shipments to flow freely, restrictions on some rare earth exports remain in place.
Beijing has repeatedly defended the controls and maintains that it approves all eligible export requests. However, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment following Greer’s remarks.
US Officials Raise Concerns Over Delays
Greer is currently in China as part of Trump’s delegation attending a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During the interview, Greer acknowledged that export approvals have improved compared with earlier periods. Nevertheless, he said delays still create difficulties for U.S. companies dependent on critical minerals.
According to Greer, American officials continue to engage directly with Chinese counterparts whenever export bottlenecks emerge.
“Whenever we see an issue, we hear from specific companies, we engage with our Chinese counterparts and we find them to be constructive,” he said.
Yttrium Shipments Provide Relief
Greer also confirmed that the United States recently received several major shipments of yttrium, a rare earth element produced only in China.
Yttrium has remained in short supply for more than a year, causing disruptions across the U.S. semiconductor and aerospace sectors.
The renewed shipments are expected to ease pressure on manufacturers that rely heavily on the material for advanced technologies and industrial production.
Reuters reported in April that China had approved several large yttrium exports. However, shipment volumes still remain well below earlier export levels, leaving a significant supply gap in global markets.
The rare earth dispute continues to highlight tensions between Washington and Beijing over trade, strategic resources, and technology supply chains. At the same time, both sides appear to be maintaining negotiations to prevent further disruption to key industries.
With inputs from Reuters