German media: China restricts rare earth exports, German industry is also affected

According to a report by the German newspaper "Handelsblatt", China is implementing stricter restrictions on the export of rare earths. The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced this new regulation on Friday evening in Germany time. China's restriction on rare earth exports has also affected the German industry.

Smartphone manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung require rare earths. Rare earths are essential raw materials for products such as electric vehicles and military equipment. According to "Handelsblatt", during the trade dispute with the United States, China has implemented export controls on rare earths.

The restrictive measures implemented by the Beijing government not only affect American manufacturers. Many German manufacturers have already faced the dilemma of rare earth shortages. According to a recent market survey, 12.7% of German electronics manufacturers are also facing material shortages. In April, 5.7% of companies reported such shortages. 65.5% of companies stated that nearly two-thirds of the rare earths imported into Germany come from China.

Electric vehicle manufacturers also rely on rare earths imported from China. The most important rare earths include 17 chemical elements, which are essential for a wide range of technological applications. These substances include neodymium, praseodymium, and samarium for permanent magnets, europium and terbium for phosphors, and dysprosium for wind turbine magnets. Rare earths are indispensable for both industry and consumers; these materials are widely used in products such as electric vehicles, plasma TVs, hard drives, earphones, and X-ray machines.

According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), Germany imported 5,200 tons of rare earths in 2024, valued at 64.7 million euros. Of this, 3,400 tons came from China (accounting for 65.7% of the total imports).

The second largest source of rare earths is Austria, with an import volume of 1,200 tons, accounting for 23.2% of the total imports.

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841294666757127/

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