China Counters US Export Controls on Rare Earth and Defense Firms in Response to Pentagon Blacklist

US-China tensions concerning the use of commercial technology for military purposes have escalated as Beijing has imposed export controls on 10 American companies, seen as a measured response to Washington’s expansion of a Pentagon blacklist targeting Chinese firms and their subsidiaries. While largely symbolic, this move is significant as it affects companies crucial to US efforts to establish an independent rare earth supply chain and firms in the defense and aerospace sectors, highlighting the strategic importance of critical minerals in the broader US-China technology and security rivalry. A Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson stated on June 22 that these measures were…