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A Chinese delegation will arrive in Brussels on Thursday for talks with the European Union (EU) over export restrictions Beijing recently imposed on rare earth minerals, the EU confirmed on Monday.
China, the world’s leading producer of rare earth elements vital to the automotive, electronics, and defence industries, announced new export curbs earlier this month — a move that has rattled global markets.
The development comes as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 100 per cent tariffs on imports from China in response to the restrictions.
EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said the Brussels meeting would follow earlier video-link discussions aimed at “laying the groundwork” for negotiations.
However, contrary to expectations, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao will not be part of the delegation.
“We are taking these actions because we believe that China needs to act as a responsible partner,” Gill told reporters in Brussels.
EU chief Antonio Costa said he had discussed the issue with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, expressing concern over the potential impact on Europe’s trade and industry.
“We are very concerned about the trade relationship with China, particularly the export controls on critical raw materials,” Costa said, adding that he hoped the planned visit “could overcome these problems.”
The European Commission has warned that the new Chinese export measures have already forced some companies to halt production.
China’s Li Qiang, meanwhile, was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying that Beijing was open to resolving bilateral economic and trade issues through dialogue and remained committed to deeper cooperation with the EU, particularly in the green and digital sectors.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that the bloc was working to reduce its dependence on Chinese rare earths by promoting recycling and forming strategic partnerships with resource-rich countries such as Ukraine, Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Chile, and Greenland.
