ANKARA

China on Friday announced the suspension of several 2025 export control measures on key strategic resources and materials for one year, while also lifting import bans on US soybeans and logs, according to state-run media.

The suspension, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), applies to several announcements made jointly by the ministry and the General Administration of Customs (GAC), Global Times reported.

Export controls for superhard materials, rare earth-related equipment, raw or auxiliary materials, medium and heavy rare earths, lithium batteries, and synthetic graphite anode materials have been lifted.

The decision to lift restrictions also applies to controls on certain foreign items and rare earth technologies.

The suspension is in effect from Friday until November 10, 2026.

On Oct. 9, China tightened its rare earth export restrictions, limiting processing and manufacturing technologies and prohibiting cooperation with foreign companies without prior government approval.

Following a meeting between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in South Korea on October 30, the Chinese Commerce Ministry announced that the current rare earth export restrictions against the United States would be suspended for a year.

Meanwhile, the GAC lifted import restrictions on some US agricultural and forestry products, such as soybeans and logs.

"The move follows an evaluation of the corrective measures taken by the US side and is in accordance with relevant Chinese laws, regulations, and international standards on phytosanitary measures," GAC said.

Starting from Nov. 10, the export licenses of the three US soybean companies will be reinstated, and imports of American logs will also resume.

The latest move follows Xi and Trump's summit in South Korea last month, where the two sides agreed to a one-year trade and tariff agreement.

In March of this year, China suspended soybean imports from three US companies, including CHS, Louis Dreyfus Company Grains Merchandising, and EGT, following the discovery of ergot and seed coating agents in soybeans imported from the US.

According to data from the US Agriculture Department’s Foreign Agricultural Service, US soybean exports to China dropped from $17.9 billion in 2022 to $12.2 billion in 2024.