China is significantly tightening its control over the entire supply chain of strategic minerals, citing national security concerns.
On May 12 (local time), the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that it had convened a “control enhancement meeting” with various central government departments and local governments in key strategic mineral-producing regions, including Inner Mongolia, Jiangxi, and Hunan.
Participants in the meeting included the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of State Security.
The meeting focused on establishing a comprehensive management system covering every stage of the supply chain—from mining and refining to processing, transportation, manufacturing, distribution, and export.
A Chinese official emphasized, “Controlling the export of strategic minerals is directly tied to national security and development interests. We must strengthen our response system with a focus on prevention and early intervention to prevent illegal outflows throughout the entire export process. This includes improving information sharing and timely early-warning mechanisms.”
Central and local governments were assigned key tasks, including:
Strengthening education and regular supervision of relevant companies,
Implementing precise tracking of strategic mineral flows, and
Assigning clear responsibilities, with local governments playing a leading role.
China aims to achieve strict oversight at every stage of the industry through coordinated efforts between central and regional authorities.
Earlier, on May 9, China also held a meeting focused on cracking down on the smuggling of strategic minerals. The back-to-back meetings suggest that Beijing regards control over these minerals as a matter of high national importance.
