EU and China to Hold Talks to Defuse Spat Over Rare Earths

The European Union and China will hold talks this week to address trade disputes as Beijing’s restrictions on exports of key minerals and chips risk disrupting Europe’s auto industry.

The European Commission will receive a Chinese delegation to discuss rare earth restrictions, which sounded alarm bells among governments and firms across the bloc. Preliminary talks were held on Monday to prepare for the arrival of a high-level Chinese technical delegation on Thursday, said Olof Gill, a spokesman for the EU’s executive arm.