Karin Radstrom, CEO of Daimler Truck, a German commercial vehicle manufacturer, stated that the company has decided to increase its inventory of rare earths and key raw materials in the short term to mitigate production risks. Despite the need for additional investment, the company's procurement department is closely monitoring relevant developments, and there have been no supply disruptions or production halts so far. This decision is deemed necessary due to the heightened supply uncertainty caused by China's restrictions on rare earth exports.

[SMM Commentary: General Administration of Customs Issues Announcement on Querying Suspected Controlled Goods Without Certificates] On June 16, the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement regarding matters related to customs queries on the export control of dual-use items. It requires customs to implement query procedures for suspected controlled item exports without certificates. Enterprises are required to submit supporting materials such as contracts and technical reports within 7 working days, during which the goods will not be released.

India has halted rare earth exports to Japan, ending a 13-year bilateral agreement. This move aims to ensure domestic rare earth supply but has impacted Toyota Tsusho India, which previously exported about one-third of India's rare earth production to Japan.

According to US media reports, the US military has not yet made a decision on export licenses for special rare earth magnets, which are used in equipment such as fighter jets and missile systems. The US still restricts China's purchase of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips, citing their potential military value. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that during the London talks, the Chinese side pledged to expedite the approval of rare earth export applications from non-military US state-owned enterprises. So far, it has received tens of thousands of applications, with the relevant export licenses valid for six months. China also proposed establishing a green channel for "trusted" US state-owned enterprises to streamline the approval process. For some special military rare earths, including samarium, strict control measures are in place, and these rare earths are not included in the expedited approval scope covered by the London agreement.

US automaker Ford Motor Company still faces challenges in securing supplies of rare earth magnets, which are critical for vehicle production. Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, said that the supply of these key components has consistently come from China, but with China implementing a new approval process for rare earth exports, the supply continues to slow down. Ford can only confirm daily whether there is sufficient rare earth supply, forcing it to shut down some factories to barely maintain production. In May, due to a supply deficit of rare earths, Ford's Explorer SUV factory in Chicago halted production for a week. Farley said that while he is pleased with the recent progress in US-China trade negotiations, he has yet to see an improvement in the supply situation for magnets. He also mentioned that Ford has submitted applications to China's Ministry of Commerce, which are currently being reviewed one by one.

US automaker Ford Motor Company still faces challenges in securing supplies of rare earth magnets, which are critical for vehicle production. Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, said that the supply of these key components has been coming from China, but with China implementing a new approval process for rare earth exports, the supply continues to slow down. Ford can only confirm daily whether there is sufficient rare earth supply, forcing it to shut down some factories to barely maintain production. In May, due to a supply deficit of rare earths, Ford's Explorer SUV factory in Chicago halted production for a week. Farley said that while he is pleased with the recent progress in US-China trade negotiations, he has yet to see an improvement in the supply situation for magnets. He also mentioned that he has submitted applications to China's Ministry of Commerce, which are currently being reviewed one by one.