China’s rare earth export controls show little sign of easing after Trump-Xi summit

China’s rare earth export regime remains largely unchanged following the 14–15 May 2026 summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, underlining limited progress on one of the most strategically sensitive elements of bilateral trade. A White House summary stated that Beijing had agreed to address US concerns over shortages of key rare earths, including yttrium, scandium, and neodymium. This marks a shift from October 2025, when Washington said China had committed to "effectively eliminate" export controls on critical minerals. That reference has now been dropped, signalling implicit acceptance that China’s export licensing regime – introduced in April 2025 in response to US tariffs, will remain in place.