China eases restrictions on rare earth minerals to U.S.

Open this photo in gallery: U.S. President Donald Trump had said a deal had been signed to "open up China" on Wednesday, but did not go into details.Toby Melville/Reuters China will review and approve exports of certain rare earth materials to the United States, the country's Ministry of Commerce said Friday, in exchange for Washington lifting "a series of restrictive measures against China." Rare earths have been a major sticking point in ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and China, ever since Beijing choked off the global supply of the critical minerals, vital for the production of modern automobiles, semiconductors,…