China Spy Agency Accuses Foreign Agents Of Stealing Rare Earths

China’s top spy agency has accused overseas intelligence services of stealing controlled rare earth materials, reiterating its commitment to crack down on smuggling—even as Beijing agrees to review export applications following recent trade talks with the U.S., Bloomberg News reported.

The MSS claimed it recently thwarted an attempt by an unnamed country to stockpile rare earths by disguising their Chinese origin. I Photo: Vmenkov Wikimedia Commons

Without naming any specific country, the Ministry of State Security (MSS) alleged that foreign entities orchestrated the trafficking of rare earths, which Beijing considers a strategic asset and has used as leverage in tariff negotiations with Washington.

“In recent years, foreign espionage and intelligence agencies and their agents have attempted to collude with and incite unlawful individuals in the country to steal our rare earth-related items by means of mail delivery, posing a serious danger to our national security,” the ministry wrote in a recent WeChat post.

China, which dominates global production of rare earth metals and magnets, has used its supply control in previous trade wars with the U.S., whose industries—from electric vehicles to defense systems—rely on these materials.

Ford Motor Co., for instance, had to cut output at one of its plants after China tightened export controls.

Tensions have also risen with the European Union, which similarly depends on Chinese exports.

The MSS claimed it recently thwarted an attempt by an unnamed country to stockpile rare earths by disguising their Chinese origin. This included mislabeling shipments as “not originally made in China” and misrepresenting their content and ingredients, the ministry said.