Key Points
- China has banned exports of certain rare-earth elements to Japan.
- The ban is in response to comments the Japanese prime minister made about Taiwan.
- The restrictions target “dual-use” items with both civilian and military applications.
- China has already taken additional economic measures against Japan, including cutting flights.
China has imposed a ban on exports of certain rare earth elements and other high-tech goods to Japan. The move, effective immediately, follows the Japanese prime minister’s comments about Taiwan that angered Beijing. This is a major escalation in the already tense relationship between the two Asian giants.
The new restrictions target “dual-use” items, products with both civilian and military applications.
While the Chinese government didn’t release a full list, this category typically includes things like advanced electronics, drone technology, and, most importantly, rare earth elements. These materials are essential for everything from smartphones to F-35 fighter jets, and China controls most of the world’s supply.
The whole dispute started in November when Japan’s leader, Sanae Takaichi, said that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be a “situation threatening Japan’s survival.” She even suggested that it could trigger a military response from Tokyo. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, was furious.
Since then, Beijing has been using its economic power to punish Japan. They’ve cut flights, warned their citizens not to travel to Japan, and suspended seafood imports. A spokesperson for China’s commerce ministry said this new export ban is a direct response to Takaichi’s “erroneous” comments and is necessary to “safeguard national security.”
This isn’t the first time China has used rare earths as a weapon. They did the same to Japan in 2010 during a separate diplomatic dispute.
Now, as the U.S. and China are engaged in a broader trade war, Beijing is once again demonstrating that it’s willing to leverage its control over these critical minerals to achieve its objectives.
