Trump Announces China to Resume Rare Earth Mineral Shipments to US Following Productive Call

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to resume the export of rare earth minerals and magnets to the United States, following a suspension that began in April. The decision marks a significant development for American manufacturers and defense sectors, which have faced increased uncertainty in recent weeks due to restricted access to these critical resources.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, President Trump confirmed, "Yes, he did," when asked whether Xi had agreed to restart the flow of rare earth shipments. He added, "We’re very far advanced on the China deal." This assurance comes after nearly six weeks during which China withheld exports of seven vital minerals, a move that directly impacted U.S. supply chains for essential technologies such as automobiles, robotics, and national defense systems.

Rare earth minerals are central to the production of advanced electronics and military equipment. China's halt in shipments began on April 4, when it imposed strict licensing requirements for exports. These new rules required companies to obtain special permits—an approval process taking up to 45 days and resulting in considerable delays for U.S. companies.

The export pause threatened to undermine the U.S. administration's tariff strategies, as China currently supplies an estimated 60 percent of the world’s critical minerals and processes as much as 90 percent of them. The widespread reliance on Beijing for these materials has prompted calls for the U.S. to diversify its supply chain, with concerns that over-dependence could put American industry and security at risk.

The halt in mineral shipments followed a series of escalating tensions between Washington and Beijing. In the months leading up to the suspension, China imposed sanctions on various U.S. military contractors, barring domestic entities from engaging with them—a direct response to American arms sales to Taiwan. These moves added to the growing list of disputes complicating bilateral trade negotiations.

President Trump said his recent call with Xi Jinping lasted about ninety minutes and was focused primarily on trade issues. "I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal," Trump shared in a Truth Social post, describing the outcome as a "very positive conclusion for both Countries."

This breakthrough follows heightened rhetoric earlier in the week, when Trump criticized China for breaching the initial terms of a trade agreement reached in May. Only a day before the call, Trump characterized Xi as "extremely hard to make a deal with", highlighting the underlying challenges in the ongoing negotiations. Nevertheless, the renewed commitment to resume mineral exports signals cautious optimism for continued progress on trade and economic cooperation between the world's two largest economies.

As talks progress, policymakers and industry leaders will be closely monitoring how quickly shipments resume, and whether this agreement can lay the groundwork for broader stability in U.S.-China economic relations. The rare earths dispute has intensified debate in Washington over America’s strategic vulnerabilities and underscored the urgency of developing alternative sources for these indispensable materials.