China agreed to address U.S. concerns regarding rare earth mineral export controls following a summit between President Trump and President Xi. The agreement signals a potential thaw in trade relations after China introduced supply restrictions in April 2025.
The pledge focuses on specialty materials including neodymium, yttrium, and scandium. These minerals serve as critical inputs for the aerospace, defense, semiconductor, and electric vehicle industries.
China currently refines over 90% of the world's rare earth minerals. This policy shift is expected to alleviate supply chain uncertainty for industrial firms and defense contractors such as Boeing.