Commerce Ministry spokesman on rare earth export control against Japan

China's export control on rare earths and key minerals is entirely justified, reasonable, and legal, as it aims to curb Japan's attempts at remilitarization and nuclear armament, Commerce Ministry spokesman He Yadong said at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

China has added 20 Japanese entities to the export control list and another 20 Japanese entities to the watch list, He said.

"The Chinese government conducts export control on rare earths and other critical minerals, and reviews license applications that are compliant and for civilian use in accordance with the law and regulations. The China-Japan relations are at a grave hard time, and its root cause lies in the erroneous remarks and deeds made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and the responsibility is entirely on the Japanese side. We urge the Japanese side to face up to the root cause of the issue, do soul-searching, correct its wrongdoings, and create necessary conditions for normal exchanges between China and Japan," said He.

China leads the world in direct utilization of geothermal energy, with its geothermal heating and cooling area reaching 1.65 billion square meters, according to the China Geological Survey (CGS) on Sunday.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), the country will focus on three geothermal regions -- north China, northeast China and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, as well as four geothermal belts including the southeastern coastal area, to identify target zones for exploration and development, the CGS said.

Geothermal energy is a stable, low-carbon renewable resource with substantial reserves and high efficiency. China has long maintained the world's leading position in the scale of direct geothermal energy utilization.