More on the concerns surrounding rare earth minerals that China has almost a monopoly on…
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China reassures US on key ‘rare earth’ minerals
Rare earth metals come from China – they are vital for production of a range of electronic itemsChina has reassured the US it has no intention of withholding “rare earth” minerals from the market, the US Secretary of State has said.
China suspended export of the metals, key to some high-tech industries, to Japan after a diplomatic spat.
The US has pressed China, which has pledged not to use the minerals as a diplomatic weapon, to defuse the row.
Representatives from China and Japan also held informal talks on the fringes of an Asean conference in Vietnam.