New York —
The US trade war with China has a major sticking point: rare earth minerals.
China increased its restrictions on its rare earth exports Thursday, leading US President Donald Trump to threaten economic retaliation and imply he would cancel a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an upcoming visit to Asia.
The tussle over rare earths precedes the current administration; China for years has built up near-total control of the minerals as part of its wider industrial policy.
China’s restrictions are also seen as a response to Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” on Chinese goods announced in April.
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