EU Urges China to End Rare Earth Export Restrictions, Warns Over Ukraine Support

The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has called on China to end its restrictions on rare earth exports, emphasizing the significant risks these practices pose to European companies and the reliability of global supply chains. During meetings in Brussels with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Kallas also warned that Chinese companies' support for Russia's war in Ukraine constitutes a serious threat to European security, urging China to immediately cease all material support sustaining Russia's military industrial complex. China denies providing military support to Russia, but European officials accuse Chinese firms of supplying vital components for Russian drones and other weapons used in Ukraine. The discussions aim to pave the way for an upcoming EU-China summit in late July, with both sides addressing trade imbalances, market access reciprocity, and broader geopolitical concerns including respect for core interests and international order. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the need for mutual understanding and condemned unilateralism and bullying in international relations. The EU also highlighted China's potential role in addressing Middle East nuclear tensions and reaffirmed commitments to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.