BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s rare earth magnet exports fell 6.1% in September from August, ending three months of gain before the government in October expanded controls of rare earth exports targeting users in defence and chips sectors.
Shipments from the world’s largest rare earth magnet supplier stood at 5,774 metric tons in September, down from a seven-month high of 6,146 tons in August, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Monday.
Versus the same month a year earlier, exports rose 17.5%.
The monthly decline came as Chinese rare earth magnet firms have faced tighter scrutiny on export license applications since September.
The government announced on the first working day after a week-long National Day holiday, on October 9, to expand rare earth export controls ahead of trade talks between President Xi Jinping and U.S. counterpart Donald Trump.
The U.S. has imposed a series of restrictions on U.S. exports to China as well as tariffs on Chinese imports.
By country, Germany, South Korea, Vietnam, the United States and Mexico were the top five export destinations for Chinese rare earth magnets by volume last month.
China announced export controls for several rare earth elements and magnets in early April. Rare earth magnet exports tumbled in April and May, causing supply shortages that forced global automakers to curtail production.
Rare earth magnet exports recovered over June to August after a series of trade deals reached with the European Union and the United States.
In the first three quarters of 2025, rare earth magnet exports totalled 39,817 tons, a fall of 7.5% from the corresponding period in 2024.
(Reporting by Amy Lv and Joe Cash; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Christopher Cushing)
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