Trump, Xi trade as China expands rare-earth controls and port fees

President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are trading economic measures and political signals ahead of an expected meeting in the coming weeks, after Beijing announced expanded export controls on rare earths and new port fees targeting U.S.-linked vessels and the White House warned it will retaliate. The moves, announced in October, have heightened tensions between the world’s two largest economies and raised fresh concerns about disruptions to high-tech and defense supply chains, agricultural exports and an already fragile tariff truce that is set to expire in early November unless extended.

Chinese authorities on October 9 widened export restrictions on rare earth metals and related technologies, requiring government licenses for equipment and processes used in mining, smelting, separation, magnet manufacture and recycling. Separately, the transport ministry said additional port fees on ships owned, operated or built in the United States will take effect on October 14. The expanded controls follow earlier curbs and come amid reports that Beijing has also paused shipments of certain heavy rare earth magnets to some buyers pending end-user assurances.