China views its rare earths as a national security issue, not a trade one, and that’s why Beijing is unlikely to loosen controls anytime soon, experts say.

China tightens its grip on global rare earth supply by curbing exports of key minerals, raising alarms among automakers and defence sectors worldwide

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.