China Tightens Grip on Its Rare-Earth Secrets

China is stepping up efforts to guard its rare-earth industry secrets. The Wall Street Journal's sources say the government has ordered domestic rare-earth companies to submit lists of employees who possess technical expertise, including details about their education and research background, along with their personal information. The move, per the sources, is aimed at enabling the country to more easily monitor the whereabouts of those with key knowledge to prevent them from sharing trade secrets with foreign entities.

The government's cataloging efforts reportedly target both those who process raw rare earths and those involved in turning them into finished products, and one source says some rare-earth experts have been required to surrender their passports to their employers or local authorities. This initiative comes as rare earths—which are central to manufacturing cars, electronics, and military equipment—remain a focal point in the ongoing trade disputes between the US and China. China dominates the sector, with Deutsche Welle reporting it accounts for 60% of global rare earth production and almost 90% of refining.