World · 24 July 2026
China halts rare earth exports to Rheinmetall after EU sanctions.
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Beijing immediately halted shipments of military and civilian supplies, such as rare earths, to targets including the German defence contractor Rheinmetall. Officials announced the decision on Friday, a day after Brussels added 14 Chinese and Hong Kong businesses to its Russia sanctions list. While European regulators penalised small logistics firms, a former Chinese diplomat said Beijing selected heavyweights to make sure its response genuinely hurts.
Reported by South China Morning Post · How we write briefs