On April 6th, the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association published an article via its WeChat Official Account titled "Strengthening Export Control on Relevant Rare Earth Items Demonstrates the Determination to Safeguard National Security". The full text is as follows:
Rare earth elements are known as the "industrial vitamin", possessing excellent physical and chemical characteristics such as magnetism, luminescence, electricity, and catalysis. They are essential key elements for enhancing the performance of advanced materials in light, heat, electricity, magnetism, etc., and are critical raw material supports for strategic industries such as advanced weaponry, aerospace components, wind power generation, new energy vehicles, robots, intelligent manufacturing, etc.
China is the world's largest producer and exporter of rare earth elements. Over the past thirty years, China's rare earth industry has continuously improved its industrial system, scientifically regulated domestic supply, intensified resource integration, and promoted mergers and acquisitions. While achieving coordinated development across the entire industrial chain, it has also actively expanded global partnerships, adhered to true multilateralism, and made important contributions to promoting global economic development.
Currently, the world is undergoing accelerated changes in the hundred-year landscape, with numerous challenges facing international security. To effectively prevent rare earth-related products from being used for improper purposes or by inappropriate users, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly announced on April 4th that they would implement export controls on certain rare earth-related items. This policy will take effect upon publication.
Rare earth-related items have dual civilian-military attributes. By fully drawing on international practices, China's government has decided to implement export controls on rare earth-related items, demonstrating its firm determination to safeguard world peace and security. From the practical experience of enterprises in the past, as long as they do not engage in activities that harm China's national sovereignty, security, and development interests, export controls will not affect normal business operations and trade activities of enterprises, nor will they impact the stability and security of the international industrial chain and supply chain.
Chinese rare earth companies will strengthen compliant trade in accordance with the requirements of the announcement, uphold high-level opening-up, ensure that relevant items are not used for military purposes or sensitive fields, and continue to deepen international mutually beneficial cooperation with friendly countries. At the same time, they will continuously enhance collaboration and integration between upstream and downstream enterprises in the industrial chain to achieve a virtuous interaction between high-quality industrial development and high-level security.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7490142545142415872/
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