US Seeks Global Coalition Including India Against China's Rare Earth Export Restrictions

The United States is seeking international support, including from India, to counter China's recent rare earth export restrictions, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

During a Fox News interview on Monday, Bessent framed the issue as "China versus the world" and expressed confidence in securing backing from international allies.

"We have already initiated contact with our allies and will be meeting with them this week. I anticipate strong global support from European nations, India, and democratic Asian countries," Bessent stated. "This is a global challenge that requires a coordinated response from our international partners."

The Treasury Secretary emphasized that the US would not tolerate these export restrictions and monitoring measures, declaring that "everything is on the table" regarding potential retaliatory actions against China.

"Earlier this summer, we implemented 12 countermeasures against China affecting natural resources used in plastic manufacturing for jet engines and components. These actions reportedly grounded a significant portion of their civilian aircraft fleet. We have numerous direct countermeasures at our disposal," Bessent explained.

President Donald Trump threatened on Friday to impose additional 100% tariffs on Chinese imports starting November 1, along with export controls on "any critical software." In a separate statement, Trump suggested he might cancel his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, accusing Beijing of "hostile" trade practices following China's expansion of rare earth export controls.

By Sunday, however, Trump had softened his stance, stating there was no need to "worry about China" and suggesting President Xi "just had a bad moment."

Last week, Beijing strengthened its export control measures on rare-earth elements—critical components in many high-tech applications—and imposed fees on US vessels, as Washington expanded its own export regulations.

Bessent confirmed that the scheduled meeting between Trump and Xi in South Korea would proceed as planned.

"President Trump stated that the tariffs wouldn't take effect until November 1. The meeting with President Xi in Korea is expected to continue as planned. There has been substantial communication throughout the weekend," he noted.

Both nations have been engaged in trade negotiations since April, with the current temporary truce set to expire on November 10.