China added MP Materials and USA Rare Earth, as well as eight other US entities it said are linked to the US military to its export control list, reports Reuters. This comes in shortly after Washington placed several Chinese companies under restrictions this month.
Aveox, a motor manufacturer for mission-critical applications, was also among those placed on the list, which halts Chinese dual-use exports to the companies. Pentagon-backed MP Materials, which operates the only active rare earth mine in the US, and USA Rare Earth are both involved in the mine-to-magnet supply chain.
The measures are a response to the “US government’s malicious practice” and were taken to safeguard national security and interests, as well as to fulfil international obligations such as non-proliferation, China’s Commerce Ministry said in a statement on Monday.