China said on Nov. 9 that it would keep some rare-earth export controls suspended until Jan. 10, 2027, leaving measures due to resume in November on hold for two more months.
The extension keeps part of a wider trade understanding between Beijing and Washington in place as the two governments seek a lasting deal. The suspended measures cover export controls on five rare earths: holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium. They also cover certain rare-earth processing technologies and equipment.
Some restrictions on lithium batteries, graphite and products made overseas using rare earths from China are also part of the pause. The measures were introduced in October 2025 and suspended the following month for a year after a meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump in South Korea. The latest extension does not end all of China’s rare-earth controls.
Separate restrictions introduced in April 2025 on seven other elements, including dysprosium and yttrium, remain in force. China’s Commerce Ministry gave few details about the extension. The extension comes as the two countries continue trade negotiations.
The move delays the return of some controls. It does not resolve the wider dispute over access to supplies of critical minerals.