China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday the country’s recently announced export controls on rare earths and related items were unrelated to Pakistan, dismissing reports that Pakistan had gifted rare earth samples to the U.S. as “groundless.”
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian emphasized that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, whose ironclad friendship has stood the test of time. He added that the two sides maintain a high level of strategic mutual trust and close communication on major issues of shared interests.
Lin noted that China and Pakistan have discussed the issue of Pakistan-U.S. mineral cooperation, and Pakistan has stressed that its engagement with the United States will never harm China’s interests or China-Pakistan cooperation.
The spokesperson clarified the minerals presented by Pakistani leaders were raw gemstone samples purchased by staff members and the reports claiming they were rare earth samples “misunderstand the facts, are based on speculation, or are intended to sow discord – all of which are groundless.”
He reiterated China’s export control measures have no connection to Pakistan. They are a legitimate step taken by the Chinese government in accordance with laws and regulations to improve its export control system, with the aim of better safeguarding world peace and regional stability and fulfilling its international non-proliferation obligations, Lin added.
