China rebukes G7 over critical mineral trade restrictions

Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected criticism of the measures on Thursday, framing the regulations as a necessary step to ensure global stability and fulfill non-proliferation duties. He urged the G7 to abandon what he termed the imposition of rules by small cliques, arguing that such efforts undermine the established international trade order.

The standoff follows a G7 agreement to coordinate stockpiling and expand the International Energy Agency's role to curb dependence on single suppliers. Western nations are aggressively seeking to diversify their supply chains for rare earths and permanent magnets after Beijing’s restrictive policies last year exposed significant vulnerabilities in industries ranging from renewable energy to military manufacturing. The G7 now aims to reduce reliance on any single non-partner supplier to below 60% by 2030, with a long-term goal of hitting 50% as soon as possible.