China Tightens Rare Earth Controls Before Trump-Xi Talks

As part of the new developments, Beijing has broadened the list of controlled products to incorporate five additional rare earths namely holmium, europium, ytterbium, thulium, and erbium, along with lithium-ion batteries, graphite anodes, synthetic diamonds, and associated equipment. These regulations come into effect from November 8. These commodities are integral to various industries like semiconductors, electric vehicles, military equipment, and other high-tech sectors. The Ministry's intentions behind such actions seem aimed at bolstering China's position in the upcoming trade negotiations. The new regulatory framework, akin to certain U.S. restrictions, prohibits Chinese entities from accessing advanced chips and manufacturing tools. Given…