After two rounds of negotiations, the US side finally waited for it. China agreed to issue rare earth export licenses, but also guarded against them.

(US enterprises finally got the approval from China to issue rare earth export licenses.)

On the first day after the end of the Sino-US London talks on June 11, American media reported, citing sources, that China finally agreed to issue rare earth export certificates to US enterprises.

According to American media reports, these permits involve rare earth elements that can be used in the production of electric vehicles, electronics, and military equipment.

Even so, American media still expressed concerns, as during the days when China cut off rare earth supplies, many US enterprises applied for permission, and there were a large number of applications piled up on the Chinese side. Meanwhile, China set a restriction - the validity period of the permit is only six months.

In other words, during this six-month period, US enterprises may have to spend some time waiting for approval from China.

At the same time, even if China agrees to resume exports, it does not mean that US enterprises will have no worries. They are just temporarily "free from crisis", but we also guarded against them by setting a six-month validity period.

To say the least, this move by China is very clever. With this restriction in place, it's like a yoke around the neck of the US side.

If the Trump administration starts to destroy the consensus reached through talks and imposes sanctions and restrictions on China within these six months, they won't have any rare earth supplies after six months.

This move by China can strictly prevent the US from reneging on its word and destroying the negotiation consensus between China and the US.

(China has guarded against the Trump administration, strictly preventing them from going back on their word)

The Trump administration should think carefully about the consequences if they impose additional sanctions on China after the negotiations end.

Whether the US can continue to obtain rare earth supplies six months later depends on their subsequent performance, which also ensures that we always have cards to play.

This six-month period is a test for the Trump administration, forcing them to exercise restraint.

Obviously, this also reflects our extreme distrust of the US.

We have been dealing with the Trump administration for years and know their habits well. They can suddenly turn around and renege on agreements, so to strictly prevent them from repeating their old tricks, we only gave them six months this time.

This move also leaves the US side with no room to complain, because we did indeed fulfill the consensus reached at the talks by resuming rare earth exports to US companies. However, the rules and conditions were set by us, and US companies wanting rare earth supplies could only agree.

(US companies must agree to the rules set by China if they want rare earth supplies)

American media further revealed that as part of the exchange, the Trump administration agreed to ease restrictions on the supply of engines and parts for the C919 aircraft, as well as ethane.

This means that most of the additional restrictions imposed by the Trump administration on China after the Geneva talks have now been virtually canceled. We used a "rare earth card" to push them back a few steps, returning to the starting point of the Geneva talks.

No wonder Trump remarked after the London talks: The US has lost again; dealing with China is difficult, and the Chinese side has become accustomed to US negotiators making concessions.

Evidently, in this round of London talks, we still adhered to our principles and bottom lines without making one-sided concessions to the US side. It was all equal: the US cancels its restrictions on us, and we restore rare earth exports to US companies.

So why did the Trump administration go to such lengths?

(Trump lamented: The Chinese side has become accustomed to US concessions)

For now, both sides are in the process of formulating a trade agreement.

Trump said that they had already prepared a trade agreement with China, pending final approval from both leaders.

Trump believes that China will eventually sign the agreement.

We did not disclose any details of the agreement, merely stating that a general framework for a trade agreement between China and the US had been reached.

This also aligns with our usual approach: we will not release too much information prematurely before the agreement is finally confirmed.

Looking back at the London talks between China and the US, which lasted for two days, the first day lasted six hours, and the second day continued into the night, totaling 16 hours, which is no small feat.

We hope that the US side will not betray the efforts made by both sides.

After the negotiations, a senior Chinese official left a message for the US side: "Both sides should demonstrate an attitude of integrity, honor commitments, and jointly safeguard the hard-won dialogue results."

This is both an expectation for the US side and a warning.

(We hope the US side will not betray the efforts made by both sides)

This "six-month permit" strategy employed by China not only demonstrates flexibility but also ensures strategic initiative, making it difficult for the US to unilaterally disrupt the consensus in subsequent negotiations. In essence, it serves as insurance.

This approach not only safeguards China's core interests but also provides short-term relief for global supply chain stability, reflecting the responsible behavior of a major country.

This is not only a test of the US side's integrity but also a wise manifestation of China's efforts to safeguard its own interests in complex international games.

In the future, the direction of Sino-US relations will still depend on whether the US can truly honor its commitments and move toward each other. Meanwhile, China will continue to uphold firm principles and clear bottom lines while contributing constructively to the stability of the global supply chain in defending national interests.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7514908379958002227/

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