China's rare-earth exports expanded significantly in June,maintaining a growth momentum from the previous month and compared with the same period last year,according to data released by the General Administration of Customs(GAC)on Monday.

In June,China exported 7,742.2 tons of rare earths,up 32 percent from the previous month and 60.3 percent from June 2024,reflecting a strong upward trend in exports,according to the GAC data.

In addition to the volume growth,China's rare-earth export value rose in June,reaching 170 million yuan,up 30.8 percent month-on-month.In the first half of the year,total rare-earth exports amounted to 32,569.2 tons,up about 11.9 percent year-on-year,according to the GAC.

China's exports of rare earths in June climbed to their highest since 2009,Bloomberg reported on Monday,citing official data,indicating a push by global buyers to get hold of the materials used to make powerful magnets.

"The country takes a responsible stance on regulating rare-earth exports,trying to support global civilian development while preventing their use in military applications and avoiding related security risks,"Wu Chenhui,an independent analyst who closely follows the critical minerals industry,told the Global Times on Monday.

Rare earths have both civilian and military applications,making export controls consistent with international norms,Wu said.He noted that China has already approved and facilitated certain export applications in line with relevant regulations—an effort that reflects the country's commitment,as a responsible major power,to safeguarding the stability and security of global industrial and supply chains.

At a regular press conference on June 26,He Yadong,a spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce,said that China has been accelerating the approval process of rare-earth export licenses in line with laws and regulations,and it has approved a number of compliant applications,and will continue to strengthen the approval process for compliant applications.

Asked to comment on claims made by some Western officials against China's regulations on rare earths on June 18,Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stressed that"given the dual-use nature of rare earth-related items,China has taken relevant measures in accordance with the regulations on export control of dual-use items,which is consistent with international practices and does not target any specific country."

Guo added that China stands ready to work with relevant countries and regions to enhance dialogue and cooperation on export control,uphold the WTO rules and the multilateral trade system,and keep the global economic order stable.