China Exports

China is reportedly set to tighten silver export controls from January 1, widening restrictions on a commodity now seen as vital to U.S. manufacturing and defense supply chains. The Commerce Ministry first flagged the measures in October, coinciding with a Trump–Xi meeting in South Korea, when Beijing agreed to pause certain rare earth curbs as Washington rolled back tariffs. The ministry confirmed 44 companies will be licensed to export silver in 2026–27, two more than last year. The move, framed as a response to U.S. chip curbs and tariffs, also extends to tungsten and antimony, materials vital for defense and advanced technologies. While not a blanket ban, local media quoted an industry insider saying the policy “formally elevates the metal from an ordinary commodity to a strategic material,” placing silver under the same regulatory footing as rare earths.

China’s exports of rare earth magnets to the US surged 660% in June 2025 from May, reaching 353 metric tons, according to data released Sunday by the General Administration of Customs. Globally, China exported 3,188 metric tons of rare earth permanent magnets in June, a 157.5% increase from 1,238 tons in May, reflecting progress from agreements reached in June aimed at easing restrictions and restoring global supply. However, exports were still down 38.1% year-on-year compared to June 2024. China—which supplies more than 90% of the world’s rare-earth magnets—signed a series of accords with the US last month to reopen rare-earth trade channels. These agreements followed export controls imposed by Beijing in April during the peak of trade tensions, which had severely disrupted global supply chains and triggered shutdowns at some auto factories. Despite the recent rebound, exports for the first half of 2025 totaled 22,319 tons, marking an 18.9% decline compared to the same period in 2024.