China's Rare Earths Dominance to Overshadow Trump-Xi Talks

China's dominance over rare earth elements is expected to overshadow upcoming talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to an analysis published by BusinessWorld. The report frames rare earths as a central point of leverage in the US-China relationship, with Beijing's control over mining and processing capacity giving it significant bargaining power. The analysis suggests that Washington's efforts to reduce dependence on Chinese rare earth supplies remain constrained by the scale and cost advantages China has built over decades. The upcoming Trump-Xi talks are therefore viewed through the lens of this structural imbalance, with rare earths positioned as a critical issue likely to shape the agenda. No specific policy proposals, meeting dates, or negotiating positions are detailed in the available reporting. The piece is an analytical preview rather than a report of new developments, and no official statements from either government are cited.

Global Impact

Geopolitically, rare earths remain one of China's most potent non-military levers, and the talks highlight how critical-minerals supply chains have become a core axis of US-China competition. Economically, any signal of tighter Chinese export controls would push prices higher for downstream manufacturers in the US, EU, and Japan, while accelerating Western efforts to build alternative processing capacity in Australia, Canada, and the US.