Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM)

Stories

Building critical minerals supply chains outside China

Administers critical-mineral export controls

For more than two decades, China has refined nearly every rare earth element that goes into a smartphone, fighter jet, electric motor, or wind turbine. On May 4, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed up to A$1.3 billion (about US$937 million) to mining and processing projects. These projects aim to give Japan a non-Chinese source for gallium, nickel, graphite, rare earths, and fluorite.

Updated May 31

China's rare earth weapon

Force in Play

Enforcement authority for export controls

China controls 70% of rare earth mining and 90% of refining—the 17 obscure elements that power everything from F-35 fighter jets to iPhones. In April 2025, Beijing weaponized that dominance. When Trump announced Liberation Day tariffs, China retaliated by restricting exports of seven rare earth elements. By October, it expanded controls to twelve elements and invoked the foreign direct product rule, the same tool America used to choke China's chip industry. It claims jurisdiction over any product globally that touches Chinese rare earth technology.

Updated May 19