German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil criticized China’s decision to tighten export controls on rare earths and expressed hope for a de-escalation following the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“We have made it clear within the G-7 that we do not agree with China’s approach,” said Klingbeil, who also serves as Germany’s vice chancellor, on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank meetings in Washington. “We are monitoring the situation closely and doing what we can politically to prevent further tensions between the US and China.”