China has taken its rare earths arsenal to a new level, escalating tensions in its trade war with the US by threatening to cut off supply lines for critical minerals like germanium and gallium. These elements have already been shut out of US markets due to Chinese export restrictions. With China possessing an abundance of other strategic minerals, including rare earths, it appears the country has plenty of options to use as counterweights in a trade dispute with the US.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-04/china-s-trade-reprisals-may-extend-to-minerals-like-rare-earths