Washington is seeking support from its allies as President Donald Trump’s tariff threats against China heighten trade friction. Specifically, India and European nations are being consulted to counter Beijing’s latest economic actions.

Earlier this week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that China was making “provocative” economic moves after restricting rare mineral exports. Consequently, Trump warned of a possible 100 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.

“This is China versus the rest of the world,” Bessent said. “They announced these export controls that are going to go into effect next month, and we have aggressively pushed back against them. We’re not sure where this came from, why the Chinese have decided to do it now.”

US Vows to Protect Global Supply Chains

Bessent emphasized that the US would not allow China to dominate rare earth exports. These minerals are crucial for industries such as defence, electric vehicles, and electronics.

“They have pointed a bazooka at the supply chains and the industrial base of the entire free world. And, you know, we’re not going to have it. China is a command and control economy. They are neither going to command [nor] control us,” he added.

Washington Builds International Support

Meanwhile, Bessent said the US had begun coordinating with allies for a joint response. These discussions involve India, European nations, and other Asian democracies.

“We are going to assert our sovereignty in various ways. We have already been in touch with the allies," Bessent said. He also added, "We will be meeting with them this week and, you know, I expect that we will get substantial global support from the Europeans, from the Indians, from the democracies in Asia,” he explained.

Earlier, Trump accused China of taking an “extraordinarily aggressive position on trade.” He warned that Washington could impose “large-scale Export Controls on virtually every product they make” and on “all critical software.”

China Implements Rare Earth Export Controls

On Thursday, China’s commerce ministry announced new export controls on rare-earth technologies and materials. These rules add to existing restrictions on a sector that has long caused friction with Washington.

China is the world’s largest producer of rare earth minerals used in magnets for cars, electronics, and defence equipment. Since April, certain exports have required licences, affecting global supply chains.

Rare earth exports have consistently been a point of contention in US-China trade talks. Moreover, Washington has accused Beijing of delaying export approvals to pressure international industries.

Under the new rules, exporters must obtain government permission for technologies used in rare-earth mining, smelting, and processing, the ministry stated.