China extends pause on rare earth controls to January 10, aligning deadlines with the US

[Update, November 10, 2026, 4:39]We corrected the article to say that Huang's November 18 briefing to the House is not scheduled: he has been asked to give it and is to say by November 11 whether he will. We also corrected the article to say that the extension covers more than two measures, and also includes the suspension of measures against 27 US companies and of special port fees.

China has reportedly extended to January 10, 2027 its suspension of export controls on rare earths (metals essential for products such as motor magnets) and of a 24% additional tariff on US goods. The suspension had been due to expire on November 10, and as of November 8 no notice of an extension had been issued. Without one, the controls would have returned on November 11. That has now been avoided. The United States also published an extension of its own export controls in the Federal Register on November 9. With the two countries' deadlines now nearly matching, both have pushed any settlement past the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in Shenzhen on November 18-19.

For Japanese companies: Procurement staff at manufacturers that buy Chinese rare earths, or magnets and motor parts made from them, should confirm with suppliers this week that terms for shipments after November 11 are unchanged. They should also decide before the end of the year how to handle inventory for early next year, in case the suspension lapses again on January 10. Companies that do not use Chinese rare earths and do not trade goods between the US and China are not directly affected.

What was extended

According to reports, the extension covers two main measures (the suspension of measures against 27 US companies and of special port fees was also extended). One is the suspension of rare earth export controls; the other is the suspension of the 24% additional tariff on US goods. Both now run until January 10, 2027. Chinese state media outlets Global Times and CGTN, as well as Malaysia's The Star, reported the extension on November 9.

The key point is that the controls have not been removed. The suspension has only been extended by about two months, and China keeps the means to restrict rare earth exports at any time. For Japanese parts makers, the risk that Chinese suppliers suddenly halt shipments from November 11 has receded for now.

Deadlines now nearly match the US extension

On the US side, BIS had published an extension of its export controls targeting China in the Federal Register on November 9. China's extension moves in step with that action. With both deadlines falling at roughly the same time early next year, it is now less likely that one side will reinstate its controls first to pressure the other.

Extending the truce was a low-cost choice for both. China avoids the additional US tariffs while keeping rare earths as a bargaining chip. The United States keeps its export controls on semiconductors and other goods in reserve while maintaining the supply of magnets its factories need.

Settlement pushed past the APEC summit

The extension can be read as handing the decision on whether to end or continue the truce to talks between the two leaders. The APEC leaders' summit will be held in Shenzhen on November 18-19, and President Trump and President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet. On the same day, November 18, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has been asked by the US House of Representatives to give a closed-door briefing (participation is voluntary, and he is to say by November 11 whether he will attend), and controls on AI chips bound for China are expected to come up. About 600,000 of NVIDIA's H200 AI chips are reportedly in Hong Kong, and how they are handled is also tied to the US-China negotiations.

The new January 10 deadline gives both countries time to see the outcome of the summit before deciding their next move. If the talks go well, the suspension could be extended further or the controls themselves could be revisited. If they go badly, the risk of the controls returning early next year will resurface. For Japanese procurement staff, the next milestone is what the two countries announce after the APEC summit.

What has not been confirmed

This article is based on reports from Chinese state media and other outlets. The original notices from China's Ministry of Commerce and from the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, which sets tariffs, have not been confirmed. Also unconfirmed are the exact scope of the rare earth items covered, whether any part of the tariffs on US goods falls outside the suspension, and the exact end date of the BIS extension in the United States. The date of the meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping is also a schedule based on media reports.