Rare Earths
Japan urges China to lift dual-use goods export ban over Taiwan remarks
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China's commerce ministry announced on January 7 an immediate ban on exports of dual-use goods to Japan. Japan's foreign ministry protested the move as 'extremely regrettable' and demanded its withdrawal. The measure appears to be retaliation for remarks on Taiwan by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Shipments of permanent magnets from China to the US totalled 994 tonnes in January and February, down nearly 22.5 per cent year on year, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs. This marks the seventh consecutive month of decline, while exports to the EU rose 28.4 per cent to 4,775 tonnes.
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Japan is speeding up a decade-old plan to extract rare earths from the deep seabed, driven by efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese supplies. A state-owned vessel is set to return to port this month after installing equipment in Japanese waters near a coral atoll 2,000 kilometers from Tokyo, with tests to pull metal-bearing mud potentially starting as early as February 2027. The initiative underscores the country's focus on economic security.
The European Union and South Africa have signed an agreement for cooperation in mining and processing minerals and metals. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the need for these raw materials to advance the energy transition. The deal seeks to reduce Europe's reliance on China.