While Trump and Xi agreed on some quick wins on top-of-mind issues for the U.S. and Chinese economies – a 10 percent drop in U.S. tariffs on China, soybean purchases, loosening access to rare earth elements, ship access – much remains unchanged between the two countries.

Initially understood to focus on rare earth metals, China's new export controls cover an array of products including rare earth precursor materials, metals processing technology, lithium-ion batteries, superhard materials, and a variety of technological know-how.

China is trialling a new approach to global supply chain control. If successful, this approach could become part of a new Beijing playbook at a time when the U.S. is struggling to decouple from its largest rival.

Critical minerals were a particular focus of the SAFE Summit 2025, with on-shoring, processing, and China serving as focal points of the conversation.