• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

EU welcomes China's one-year rare earth export controls suspension; expert says message highlights EU reliance, concern

Global Times

By Chu Daye Published: Nov 02, 2025 04:08 PM

The EU has welcomed China's decision to suspend its recently expanded rare-earth restrictions for one year, according to media reports. A Chinese expert noted that the EU's response underscores its dependence on Chinese rare-earth products and its underlying unease, as the bloc continues to impose restrictive measures that affect bilateral trade and economic relations.

Following a meeting between Chinese and US top leaders on Thursday, China announced the postponement of its latest round of rare-earth export restrictions for one year.

Politico.eu reported on Saturday (EU time) that European Commission (EC) spokesperson Olof Gill stated, "The EU welcomed China's 12-month suspension of the relevant export controls published on October 9, 2025." The EC spokesperson described the move as "an appropriate and responsible step in the context of ensuring stable global trade flows in a critically important area."

This statement came after talks between Chinese and EU officials in Brussels last week. Some media outlets, however, characterized the dialogue as "little more than a sideshow" compared with the series of breakthroughs achieved during the Chinese-US summit last Thursday.

EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic said early Saturday that China had confirmed that the suspension of rare-earth export controls would also apply to the EU, after holding constructive talks with officials from China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) at the senior official level. In a post on X on Saturday morning, Sefcovic added that both sides had reaffirmed their commitment to continued engagement on improving the implementation of export control policies.

The EU's welcoming tone contrasted with its earlier, sharper remarks. EC President Ursula von der Leyen had previously stated that the EU was prepared to "use all instruments" at its disposal to respond if necessary.

A Chinese expert observed that the EU's positive reaction highlighted its heavy reliance on Chinese rare-earth products and its prior concern that the suspension might not be granted.

"It also shows that dialogue and consultation are the only ways for the two sides to resolve differences and trade frictions," Zhang Jian, a vice president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times. He urged the EU to view China and bilateral relations through a lens of cooperation rather than bloc confrontation and to avoid "taking an arbitrary approach."

Zhang further noted that the EU has introduced restrictions in recent years, such as tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle (EV) imports, that have hindered the smooth and stable growth of China-EU economic and trade ties. He said that the EU has fallen short in contributing to stable global trade.

Dong Yifan, an associate research fellow at the Belt and Road Academy of Beijing Language and Culture University, told the Global Times on Sunday that China's policy adjustments in the rare-earth sector are entirely based on its responsibility to regulate international dual-use items and strengthen institutional development in related fields in accordance with laws and regulations, and are not targeted at any third country.

Dong added that China has consistently viewed the EU's concerns regarding supply chain security and corporate interest protection positively, conducting active consultations to resolve them.

"This stands in stark contrast to the EU's pledge to adopt a series of trade protectionist measures at the cost of violating WTO rules and undermining international trade norms to address the so-called rare-earth supply issues," Dong said, noting that such actions will only harm China-EU economic and trade cooperation and are detrimental to the common interests of both sides.

According to the MOFCOM, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held a video meeting on October 21 with Sefcovic at the latter's request. The two sides held in-depth discussions on key China-EU economic and trade issues, including export controls and the EU's anti-subsidy investigations into Chinese EVs.

Regarding rare-earth export controls, Wang stated that China's recent measures represent a normal adjustment to improve its export control system in accordance with laws and regulations. He emphasized that the steps reflect China's sense of responsibility as a major country in safeguarding world peace and stability. Wang added that China is committed to maintaining the security and stability of global supply chains and has consistently provided facilitation for EU companies in the approval process.

When asked to comment on the Brussels meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on October 28 that China-EU economic and trade relations are built on mutual complementarity and are mutually beneficial.

"We hope the EU will honor its commitment to supporting free trade and opposing trade protectionism, and refrain from resorting to restrictive measures. Instead, the EU should properly address trade differences through dialogue and consultation, provide an open, transparent, and non-discriminatory environment for businesses from all countries, and take concrete actions to uphold the principles of the market economy and WTO rules," Guo stated.