GENEVA/WASHINGTON: China has lost a dispute at the World Trade Organisation over restrictions on its exports of rare earths and metals,
handing Europe and the United States a victory over what they see as Beijing’s unfair trade practices.
China produces more than 90 percent of the world’s rare earths, which are used in a wide range of applications in sectors like renewable energy, telecommunications and defence.
The United States, European Union and Japan complained export restrictions on the highly prized commodities gave Chinese companies in key high-tech
sectors an unfair competitive edge, while China said limits
were needed to prevent over-mining.Reuters
