Chinas Ministry of Commerce, in coordination with the General Administration of Customs, revealed on Friday the application of export controls on 7 types of medium and heavy rare earth elements &-- including samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium.
The brand-new measures work immediately.The relocation intends to much better secure national security and interests while fulfilling global non-proliferation commitments, according to a representative from the Ministry of Commerce.
These items are dual-use in nature, and imposing export controls on them is a typical international practice, the spokesperson explained.
China wants to improve external communication and cooperation through bilateral discussions on export control mechanisms, in order to promote certified trade, the spokesperson included.