# China Delays Rare Earth Export Controls in U.S. Trade Truce

*Beijing and Washington agreed to extend waivers on critical mineral licensing to Jan. 10, 2027, but unissued gazette texts leave global buyers facing administrative uncertainty.*

**Published:** October 7, 2026  
**By:** Wei Zhang  
**Section:** Semiconductors & AI Hardware — China  
**Format:** Policy Tracker  
**Confidence:** high  
**Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/semiconductors/china-delays-rare-earth-export-controls-u-s-trade-580  
**Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/)

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## What to know

- U.S. and China agreed to extend export control waivers on critical minerals to Jan. 10, 2027
- MOFCOM has not published a formal gazette notice codifying the rare earth suspension past Nov. 10
- China controls 90% of global rare earth refining and 93% of sintered magnet manufacturing

![Technicians inspect motor components beside rare earth powders and magnets used for electric vehicles and defense equipment. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-10-07-914e6cdc7ffd.webp)
*Technicians inspect motor components beside rare earth powders and magnets used for electric vehicles and defense equipment. (AI-generated image)*

China's Ministry of Commerce left automotive and defense procurement desks facing administrative uncertainty on Oct. 6, 2026, as an agreed suspension of strict rare earth export restrictions awaited formal regulatory codification.

The pending export measures govern critical materials where China controls 90% of global refining capacity and 93% of sintered permanent magnet production. These specialized inputs supply high-performance electric vehicle traction motors and defense navigation systems worldwide.

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Cite as: East Asia Brief, "China Delays Rare Earth Export Controls in U.S. Trade Truce," October 7, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/semiconductors/china-delays-rare-earth-export-controls-u-s-trade-580