Rare earth exports should meet set criteria

China will review and approve applications for rare earth exports that meet the requirements to facilitate compliant trade, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

Some foreign enterprises have suggested that China's approval process of rare earth export licenses is slow, and their companies may face suspended production. The ministry made the comment in response to such thoughts.

He Yongqian, a spokeswoman for the ministry, said rare earth and related items have a clear dual-use nature for both civilian and military purposes. Implementing export controls on such items is common international practice.

In April, China implemented a new regulatory strategy restricting the export of seven heavy rare earth elements, with exports of related items requiring a license.

In another development, the United States raised tariffs on steel and aluminum imports on Wednesday from 25 percent to 50 percent on all of its trade partners except for the United Kingdom.

The commerce ministry said this is a typical act of unilateralism and protectionism, and it has long been ruled by the WTO as violating WTO rules.

"The US' tariff increase on steel, aluminum and their derivative products harms other countries and itself, and fails to safeguard industrial security. It will also severely disrupt the stability of the global industrial and supply chains," He said.

The doubling of import tariffs on steel and aluminum by the US has sparked opposition from many countries, including Germany.

China urges the US to respect economic laws, abandon the zero-sum mindset and stop the generalization and abuse of the concept of national security. China hopes the US will work with all other parties to safeguard the rules-based multilateral trading system, resolve respective concerns through equal dialogue, and jointly maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, He said.

Since April, the US has escalated tariffs targeting its major trade partners, disrupting global supply chains.

Besides tariffs, the US has also been resorting to technological blockades and investment restrictions in its bid to contain China. Such multifaceted frictions are likely to be long-term, said Gao Lingyun, a researcher specializing in international trade at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing.

"The two sides should continue to advance relevant work in the spirit of mutual openness, continuous communication, cooperation and mutual respect," Gao said.