China Seeks Deeper Germany Partnership Over Rare Earths

China has proposed closer cooperation with Germany across strategic industries to alleviate growing pressures on rare-earth supplies.
The proposal comes after Beijing broadened export controls, adding additional elements to regulated lists and imposing stricter scrutiny on downstream sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing.
Chinese officials framed the initiative as a way to stabilize supply chains and ensure steady access to critical materials used in electronics, renewable energy and defense-related components.
German companies, responding to the squeeze on inputs, are reportedly sharing industrial blueprints and supply-chain details with Chinese partners to secure materials and maintain production continuity.
Analysts say the arrangement could reduce near-term shortages but raises questions about technology transfer, industrial policy alignment and greater dependency on a single supplier for strategic minerals.
European and German policymakers may face pressure to diversify sources, boost domestic processing capacity and tighten safeguards on sensitive technical information as the partnership evolves.