International Business and TradePolicy

US-China Trade Tensions Escalate Over Export Controls and Rare Earths

Trade tensions between the United States and China have intensified following new export controls on batteries and rare earth elements. Both nations have exchanged threats and retaliatory measures, creating uncertainty in global markets. The situation highlights what analysts describe as “mutually assured disruption” between the world’s two largest economies.

Escalating Trade Tensions

Trade relations between the United States and China have reached a new critical point as both nations implement aggressive export control measures, according to recent reports. The tension escalated when President Donald Trump threatened retaliation against Beijing’s new restrictions on batteries and rare earth elements, crucial components in numerous high-tech industries.

International Business and TradePolicy

China Rare Earth Restrictions Threaten U.S. Defense Industry and Trade Relations

China’s new restrictions on rare earth exports for military use threaten critical U.S. defense systems including F-35 jets and submarines. With China controlling over 90% of global rare earth refining, the move gives Beijing significant leverage in trade negotiations.

China’s sweeping restrictions on rare earth exports specifically targeting foreign military applications represent a significant escalation in trade tensions that could severely impact U.S. defense capabilities and potentially reignite a broader trade war between the world’s two largest economies. The October 9 announcement from China’s Ministry of Commerce marks the first time Beijing has explicitly prohibited rare earth exports for defense purposes, creating immediate vulnerabilities for American weapons systems that depend on these critical materials.

How Rare Earth Restrictions Threaten U.S. Defense Systems