The data released by China's General Administration of Customs today (June 20) shows that exports of certain key tungsten products, as well as rare earth elements dysprosium and terbium, to Japan in May remained zero, while exports of other rare earth products also stayed at abnormally low levels. According to previously published data, since November last year, China has exported no oxide terbium or oxide dysprosium to Japan; since December last year, exports of oxide yttrium to Japan have been only minimal.
This sustained near-six-month period of zero exports of core rare earth categories to Japan is far from an accidental market fluctuation—it is a precise countermeasure taken by China based on its own sovereignty and industrial chain security, with a clear and restrained strategic logic behind it.
Dysprosium and terbium, among the heavy rare earths, are irreplaceable core raw materials for high-end military, new energy, and semiconductor industries. Nearly 90% of global processing capacity for these materials is held by China. Japan has long followed the U.S. lead in technological sanctions against China and in issues concerning the Taiwan Strait, even actively assisting in building alternative rare earth supply chains targeting China, attempting to "decouple" and "cut off" supply chains in critical raw material sectors. This relentless provocation directly triggered China’s countermeasures.
Differing from an indiscriminate, comprehensive embargo, China’s restrictions are precisely targeted at core strategic categories. Low-level supply of general application-grade rare earths continues—maintaining bilateral trade without complete interruption, while accurately hitting Japan’s vulnerability in high-end manufacturing. Japan’s defense and new energy industries have become heavily dependent on Chinese heavy rare earth supplies; prolonged zero exports now directly expose their related industrial chains to the risk of supply disruption.
This approach fully complies with international rules. It is a reasonable measure by China to safeguard its core interests by leveraging its industrial chain advantages. It sends a clear message to both the U.S. and Japan: challenging China on core interests will inevitably result in tangible costs, while still preserving room for future dialogue and adjustments, thus avoiding a direct escalation into full-scale trade confrontation.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868530949125196/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.