China explores rare earth export curbs to target U.S. defence industry: FT

U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Becky Cleveland

China explores rare earth export curbs to target U.S. defence industry: FT | Reuters

(Reuters) - China is looking into curbing the exports of rare earth minerals that are crucial to U.S. defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin Corp for the manufacture of sophisticated weaponry and F-35 fighter jets, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

"The government wants to know if the U.S. may have trouble making F-35 fighter jets if China imposes an export ban," the FT report on.ft.com/3u1YyQX said, quoting a Chinese government adviser.

Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong

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