Is China hiding its rare earth production plans? US tensions fuel speculation
China has still not published its rare earth mining and refining quotas for 2025. Domestic media report the figures are being withheld
China appears to have stopped publishing details of its rare earth mining and refining quotas, in a break from normal practice that could further raise the temperature in the US-China trade war.
Beijing has already issued a first batch of quotas for this year to two rare earth producers, but authorities did not publicly announce the move and key details about the quotas remain unknown, Chinese media outlet Cailian Press reported on Friday.
It added that China may “no longer disclose specific quota amounts for rare earth mining and refining in the future”, given the rising strategic importance of the industry.
Chinese authorities normally release details of its annual mining and refining quotas – which companies around the world rely on for their strategic planning – at several points throughout the year.
Last year, China issued two batches of quotas, with the final one coming on August 20. In 2023, three batches were released in March, September and December, respectively.
“Quotas once balanced supply at home and conveyed intentions abroad; now they are a tool of power politics,” said Sebastian Contin Trillo-Figueroa, a Hong Kong-based geopolitical analyst. “The missing figure unsettles planning in Washington, Brussels, and Tokyo, where industries rely on Chinese processing and export licenses.”