China extends suspension of new rare earth controls until January

East Asia The two-month extension, announced on Monday (Nov 9) was due to expire this month. Blocks with symbols and atomic numbers of Rare Earth Elements (REE) are placed on a Chinese flag in this illustration taken on Jan 21, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Dado Ruvic) BEIJING: China on Monday (Nov 9) announced a two-month extension of export-control waivers due to expire this month, preserving part of a wide-ranging deal struck after a summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.China introduced export controls on certain rare earths in April 2025, only to expand them further in October of that year, dramatically widening their scope and also adding new controls on certain diamonds with industrial applications and lithium battery technology. The measures were then paused for one year last November after a summit in South Korea between Xi and Trump.The Ministry of Commerce said in a short statement on Monday that the pause would be extended for two months until Jan 10. It gave no other details.The extension is part of a broader suspension of trade countermeasures and tariffs announced by China on Monday as it negotiates with Washington over an enduring trade deal. Trump is set to travel to Shenzhen in southern China later this month for an APEC leaders summit, where he is expected to meet with Xi.