China Has Found Trump's Pain Point - Rare Earths

Friday, October 17, 2025

Last week, China's Ministry of Commerce published a document that went by the name of "announcement No. 62 of 2025". But this wasn't just any bureaucratic missive. It has rocked the fragile tariffs truce with the US.

Posted by redial at 03:31 PM | 6 COMMENTS | permalink

China, the largest exporter of rare earths, has expanded export controls.

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-- Forbes (@forbes.com) Oct 14, 2025 at 10:15 AM

Comments

... China has found Trump's pain point - rare earths ...

I disagree.

China did not recently ~discover~ this weakness in Pres Trump's trade negotiations.

China knew this all along.

As I have been noting for weeks (months?), China negotiates with a longer-term perspective than Pres Trump.

Pres Trump seems to want to negotiate for a transactional win for his ego.

China seems to want to negotiate for the strategic benefit of China.

Therein lies the crux of this ~trade war.~

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-10-16 11:10 PM

Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler - The Next Time I'm In Town (1990)
www.youtube.com

genius.com

...
Now it's been something seeing you again
In this time we've had to spend
You've been so good to be around
I thank you for that special thrill
Keep me going on until
The next time I'm in town

Though I won't be back here for a while
Or hear your laughter, see you smile
And I'll remember what went down
I can't tell you how or when
But I'll be seeing you again
The next time I'm in town

Now the places and the faces range
'Cross the bridge of time and change
Once again I'm homeward bound
There's one thing I promise you
And that's another rendezvous
The next time I'm in town
...