China views its rare earths as a national security issue, not a trade one, and that’s why Beijing is unlikely to loosen controls anytime soon, experts say.

Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that his call with Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, had focused entirely on the trade relationship between the nations, which has soured in recent months in a dispute over the export of critical minerals used in an array of industries.

Politicians said the call between the two leaders, which focused on trade, had ‘made us very anxious’ about the implications for the island.