The Chinese government’s recent announcement of more export controls on rare earth-related items marks a significant shift in global economic statecraft. The new measures, covering a spectrum of rare earth elements, other critical materials and relevant processing technologies, have been justified as measures to safeguard national security and fulfil non-proliferation obligations.
The controls aim to deny the use of the materials in foreign military systems, linking China’s mines directly to the…
Can China make its rare earth controls bite?
