Chinese officials offered a long-term pause on rare earths export restrictions during a May diplomatic visit to Beijing. The proposal would have extended the moratorium until the end of the current presidential term in January 2029, but the U.S. government requested a six-month extension instead. This internal disagreement over supply chain security emerges as the two countries prepare for high-level talks.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meets with Chinese counterpart He Lifeng in New York before a scheduled Sept. 24 summit in Washington. The two nations are discussing tariff cuts on roughly $30 billion of trade, specifically American energy and agricultural exports and certain Chinese manufacturing inputs, to potentially extend a one-year trade truce.