Bad News for China: Rare Earth Elements Aren’t That Rare

China is imposing restrictions on its exports of seven rare earth elements to protect high-tech industries amid the trade war, but these measures face limited effectiveness as many countries rely minimally on rare earths. Despite decades of building a robust domestic supply chain, China’s control over rare earths doesn’t significantly impact global markets due to the small role these minerals play in most products. The strategy appears more aimed at maintaining strategic advantages rather than addressing real-world dependency issues.