China Temporarily Suspends Export Controls on Key Raw Materials, Including Rare Earths, Lithium Batteries, and Diamonds

On November 7, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the General Administration of Customs (GAC) jointly issued Announcement No. 70 of 2025, announcing the suspension of multiple previous announcements effective immediately until November 10, 2026. The suspended announcements include MOFCOM and GAC Announcements No. 55, 56, 57, and 58 of 2025, as well as MOFCOM Announcements No. 61 and 62 of 2025.

These six suspended announcements were all issued on October 9, 2025. Formulated based on the Export Control Law, the Foreign Trade Law, the Customs Law, and the Regulation of the People's Republic of China on the Export Control of Dual-use Items, they implemented export controls on specific items with the aim of safeguarding national security and interests and fulfilling international non-proliferation obligations.

Announcement No. 55 of 2025 of the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs: Decision on Imposing Export Controls on Items Related to Superhard Materials

Controlled items include various superhard material-related items, such as synthetic diamond micropowder, monocrystals, wire saws, and grinding wheels of specific specifications, as well as Direct Current Arc Plasma Jet Chemical Vapor Deposition (DCPCVD) equipment and process technology. Announcement

Announcement No. 56 of 2025 of the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs: Decision on Imposing Export Controls on Items Related to Certain Rare Earth Equipment, Raw and Auxiliary Materials

Controlled items involve certain rare earth production equipment and raw/auxiliary materials, including centrifugal extraction equipment, various specialized rare earth kilns/furnaces, extraction tanks, permanent magnet hydrogen decrepitation furnaces, jet mills, growth furnaces, sintering furnaces, grain boundary diffusion equipment, etc., as well as rare earth ores and specific flotation reagents and extraction agents. Announcement

Announcement No. 57 of 2025 of the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs: Decision on Imposing Export Controls on Items Related to Certain Medium and Heavy Rare Earths

Controlled items include metals, alloys, oxides, compounds, their mixtures, and products of Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Europium, and Ytterbium. Announcement

Announcement No. 58 of 2025 of the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs: Decision on Imposing Export Controls on Items Related to Lithium Batteries and Artificial Graphite Anode Materials

This announcement imposes export controls on items related to lithium batteries, cathode materials, graphite anode materials, as well as their manufacturing equipment and technology. Announcement

Export Compliance Requirements

Exporters wishing to export the aforementioned items must apply for a license from the competent commerce department under the State Council and strengthen the identification of export items. For items subject to control, the customs declaration form's remarks column must state "Subject to Dual-Use Items" and specify the dual-use item export control code. For items not subject to control but with similar parameters, indices, or performance, the remarks column must state "Not Subject to Control" and provide the specific parameters, indices, or performance.

Announcement No. 61 of 2025 of the Ministry of Commerce: Decision on Imposing Export Controls on Relevant Rare Earth Items of Foreign Origin

This announcement extends the control scope to cover relevant rare earth items of foreign origin. It stipulates that foreign-manufactured products containing a certain proportion of rare earth elements of Chinese origin, as well as products manufactured overseas using Chinese rare earth technology, require an export license. Furthermore, it prohibits export applications for items that may be intended for the design, development, production, or use of weapons of mass destruction, for terrorist purposes, or for military end-uses. Announcement

Announcement No. 62 of 2025 of the Ministry of Commerce: Decision on Imposing Export Controls on Rare Earth-Related Technologies

This announcement prohibits the export of technologies related to rare earth mining, smelting and separation, metal production, magnet manufacturing, and the recycling and utilization of secondary rare earth resources, including their carriers, as well as technologies for the assembly, debugging, maintenance, repair, and upgrading of related production lines.

For the export of non-controlled goods, technologies, or services, if the exporter knows that they will be used for or will make a material contribution to activities overseas involving rare earth mining, smelting and separation, metal production, magnet manufacturing, or the recycling and utilization of secondary rare earth resources, an export license for dual-use items must be applied for from the Ministry of Commerce prior to export. Announcement

Current Status and Next Steps

With the latest announcement, all the aforementioned control measures have been suspended. This indicates that from November 7, 2025, to November 10, 2026, the export of these items and technologies will not be bound by the specific provisions of the previously mentioned announcements.

The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs did not elaborate on the specific reasons for the suspension in the latest announcement. Relevant enterprises should closely monitor subsequent notices and guidance from the competent authorities to stay informed about policy developments and compliance requirements.

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Further Information

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