US President Donald Trump said Chinese leader Xi Jinping has agreed to restart the flow of crucial rare earth materials, after announcing a new round of US-China trade talks will be held in London on Monday.

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.

China refines over 92% of the world's rare earth minerals, while mining 60% of the same, asserting a global dominance in the rare earth minerals and magnets front. Check why rare earths are important for the Chinese economy.