China has stalled Japan-bound exports of various critical minerals including rare earths and rare metals, mainly items related to the defense industry, recent Chinese trade data has shown, indicating continued economic pressure amid a Sino-Japanese diplomatic row.
In recent years, Beijing has tightened export controls on at least 16 types of minerals amid its trade conflict with Washington. On Jan 6, China strengthened restrictions on the shipment of dual-use items to Japan following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remarks last November on a Taiwan emergency.
The 16 types of minerals include seven types of rare earths that are used for manufacturing high-tech products including electric vehicles and weapons. China dominates the global supply of rare earths.
Dual-use items are goods, software or technologies that have both civilian and military applications.
Since January, China has not exported to Japan any dysprosium or terbium, which are elements for high-performance permanent magnets. It has also ceased shipments of yttrium and scandium used in the aerospace industry that are “not mixed or alloyed,” the data showed.
The impact of tighter export curbs on the three other rare-earth items was unclear as their shipment volume to Japan is generally small or there were no available data.
