Trade standoff with China deepens as Bessent insists the U.S. will 'neither be commanded nor controlled'

Top U.S. officials say China’s latest rare earths export restrictions amount to a "global supply chain power grab.”

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Wednesday that China’s recent restrictions on rare-earth mineral exports are a “global supply chain power grab.”

Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke to reporters at the Treasury Department in Washington, where Bessent said Beijing’s actions amounted to a provocation.

The remarks were the latest sign that the U.S.-China trade relationship continues to deteriorate after Beijing’s surprise announcement Thursday of new limits on rare-earth minerals and related technologies.

In response, President Donald Trump threatened to impose 100% tariffs on China, as well as export controls on “any and all critical software.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng before the first meeting of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism in London on June 9.Li Ying / Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images fileThe Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday that the export controls were consistent with international practice and had been implemented “to better safeguard world peace and regional stability, and fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations.”