Chinese Rare Earth Firms Ask for Official Clarity on US Exports

Chinese rare-earth exporters are asking the government to clarify whether they’re allowed to sell to the US, after Beijing and Washington called a ceasefire in their trade war.

In addition to the dramatic cuts to tariffs announced on Monday by both countries, China said it would suspend or cancel its non-tariff countermeasures imposed on the US since April 2 — an apparent reference to Beijing’s addition on April 4 of seven rare earths to its export control list. Numbering 17 in total, those are elements vital to high tech and defense manufacturing, and removing the restrictions was a priority for US negotiators.