German Firms Hand Over Secrets That China Could Use for Leverage

A container filled with neodymium-iron-boron powder, used in sensors, computers, and mobile phones at a factory in Tianjin, China.Photographer: Doug Kanter/Bloomberg

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By Jenny Leonard

October 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM UTC

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As German firms wrestle with new Chinese controls on rare earths, they are handing Beijing sensitive supply chain information it could potentially use to squeeze manufacturers or shut down production lines in Europe’s biggest economy.