China’s Rare-Earth Magnet Exports to US Surge in June Amid Trade Talks

The materials are still not flowing at the same level as before Beijing imposed export controls in April.

A loader shifts soil containing rare-earth minerals at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, China, on Sept. 5, 2010. AFP via Getty Images

China’s exports of rare-earth magnets to the United States saw a sharp rebound in June, rising more than sevenfold from May, a sign of easing tensions amid talks aimed at deescalating the trade war.

According to data released on July 20 by China’s General Administration of Customs, exports of rare-earth magnetic materials to the United States reached 353 metric tons in June, a 660 percent increase from the previous month. However, the figure still represents a 52 percent drop from the same period in 2024.