China rejects claims linking rare earths export controls to Pakistan

China's latest export control measures on rare earths and related items have nothing to do with Pakistan, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday.

Lin made the remarks at a regular news conference, dismissing reports that "Pakistan's export of rare earths to the United States triggered China's new export control measures".

China and Pakistan have maintained communication over Pakistan's mining cooperation with the US, Lin said, adding that Pakistan has emphasized that its exchanges with the US will never harm China's interests or China-Pakistan cooperation.

The samples that the Pakistani leaders showed and gave to the US leader are gem ores purchased by staff in Pakistan, Lin said.

Such reports that linked China's tightening export control over rare earths and related items with Pakistan "either knew nothing about what had happened, or were shadow-chasing without any evidence, or even trying to drive a wedge between China and Pakistan," Lin said.

China's recently released export control measures on rare earths and related items are a legitimate action the Chinese government took to refine its own export control system according to laws and regulations, Lin said.

The measures aim to better safeguard world peace and regional stability and to fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations, he said.