Chinese shipments of yttrium oxide to the United States fell to just 10 metric tonnes in April 2026, down from 60 tonnes in March, even as Beijing pledged to “address” US supply‑chain concerns following the May 14–15 Trump‑Xi summit.
The Ministry of Commerce said on May 20 that it would work with the US on “reasonable” concerns about rare‑earth export controls, while defending the restrictions as legitimate and lawful. Beijing first introduced the controls in April 2025 in response to US tariffs. The controls restrict yttrium, scandium, neodymium and indium – minerals used in jet engines, EV motors and wind turbines.
However, the same‑day language signals the dispute is far from settled. The commerce ministry framed the controls as a sovereign right rather than a concession to be withdrawn. The sharp drop in April shipments – from 60 to 10 tonnes – shows physical supply remains tight despite the diplomatic thaw.
By contrast, Washington is hedging. The U.S. Department of Defense is advancing a plan to build a non-China rare-earth supply chain, with the Benchmark Mineral Intelligence dataset tracking $6.3 billion of rare-earth investment outside China in 2025 and a further $2.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026.
Why it matters for Green Renewable Energy: Rare earths underpin the permanent magnets in EV motors and direct-drive wind turbines, so even partial Chinese curbs translate into immediate supply and cost risk for renewable-energy manufacturers worldwide.