EU to host Chinese officials Thursday for rare earth talks

EU to host Chinese officials Thursday for rare earth talks
by AFP Staff Writers
Brussels, Belgium (AFP) Oct 27, 2025

A Chinese delegation will head to Brussels Thursday for talks on export curbs Beijing has imposed on rare earths, the EU said.

China, the world's top producer of rare minerals crucial to the auto, electronics and defence industries, announced earlier this month new measures to limit their export.

The move has sent ripples across the world. US President Donald Trump has threatened 100-percent tariffs on imports from China.

A high-level Chinese delegation will come to Brussels Thursday after talks by video link to "lay the ground" on Monday, EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said.

Contrary to expectations, Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao will not be part of the delegation.

"We are taking these actions because we believe that China needs to act as a responsible partner," Gill told reporters in Brussels.

EU chief Antonio Costa said he discussed the issue in a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia.

The top European official told reporters Monday that "we are very concerned about the trade relationship with China", particularly the export controls on critical raw materials.

Costa said he hoped the planned visit "could overcome these problems".

The European Union says the new Chinese controls have forced some companies to halt production.

"With China, we want to have good trade relations. But in fact, we have some problems that we raised and we need to address," Costa said.

"China knows very well what kind of problems we are facing and what China needs to do to overcome this situation."

China's Li said Beijing was willing to resolve bilateral economic and trade issues through dialogue, the country's official Xinhua news agency reported.

He also said Beijing stood ready to increase cooperation with Brussels, especially in the green and digital sectors.

The EU is working to end its dependence on rare earths from China, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Saturday, adding that an important component of the EU plan would be recycling.

The bloc will also focus on critical raw materials partnerships with countries like Ukraine, Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Chile and Greenland, she said.

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