China’s rare-earth magnet exports to the U.S. surge more than sixfold in June

China’s June exports of rare-earth permanent magnets to the U.S. have skyrocketed by 660%, reaching 353 metric tons, as Beijing lifted earlier restrictions under a new trade pact—though volumes remain below June 2024 levels amid ongoing supply chain recovery.

China’s exports of rare-earth permanent magnets to the United States surged to 353 metric tons in June, representing a 660% increase from May, according to Chinese customs data. The rise comes after a sharp drop in April, when China imposed an embargo in response to new U.S. tariffs, severely disrupting global supply chains.

The embargo led to shortages of these crucial components, forcing some international automakers to scale back production. Rare-earth magnets are essential for a wide range of industries, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, and high-performance electronics.

Overall, China exported 3,188 metric tons of rare-earth magnets globally in June, a 157.5% rise from May. However, this still marked a 38.1% decline compared to June 2024, reflecting a partial market recovery rather than a full rebound.

The sharp rise in exports was driven by a new Sino-U.S. trade agreement reached in June, which relaxed licensing requirements for rare-earth shipments and facilitated broader cooperation in high-tech trade. One outcome was a compromise allowing NVIDIA to resume exports of its H20 AI chips to China, in exchange for Beijing’s approval to restart outbound flows of rare-earth products.

Despite the June recovery, rare-earth magnet exports from China in the first half of 2025 fell 18.9% year-on-year, totalling 22,319 metric tons, due to delays in export licensing earlier this year.

Analysts expect exports to continue rising in July as these licensing bottlenecks ease further. However, long-term supply stability remains uncertain amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and strategic trade manoeuvring.

China currently controls more than 90% of global rare-earth magnet supply, giving it considerable influence in global technology and manufacturing chains. The country has previously added several rare-earth-related products to its export control list, using them as leverage in trade negotiations.

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