U.S. Says China Eases Rare Earth Exports but Some Licenses Remain Slow

Rare earth exports from China to the U.S. have improved, but Beijing remains slow to approve some shipments, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said May 15, 2026, during a Bloomberg Television interview. Greer said U.S. officials still intervene for affected companies, though he gave China “a passing grade” on export flows. He said the U.S. recently received several large shipments of yttrium, a rare earth produced only in China that has been in short supply for more than a year, affecting U.S. semiconductor and aerospace supply chains. China imposed rare earth export controls in April 2025 in response to U.S. tariffs. The White House said China agreed in October 2025 to allow shipments to flow more freely, but restrictions remain on some materials. China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment and has previously said eligible export requests are approved.