Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday that rare earth exports should not become an issue between China and Europe, giving assurances that Europe’s needs could be met if applications were submitted.

Wang was speaking in Berlin during a joint news conference with his German counterpart, on the second leg of a European tour seeking to lay the groundwork for a summit between EU and Chinese leaders later this month.

Responding to a question about European companies' concerns over China's rare earth export controls, Wang emphasised that it is a sovereign right and international responsibility for any country to impose necessary regulations on dual-use items – goods that can serve both civilian and military purposes.

"Rare earths have not been, are not, and will not be a problem between China and Europe, or between China and Germany," Wang said.

"If legal applications are submitted, Europe’s and Germany’s normal needs can be met."

Wang noted that Beijing has also established a "fast track" mechanism to facilitate exports to European companies.

He said certain forces with ulterior motives have been deliberately hyping up this matter between China and Europe, but stressed that China's policy is consistent with international practices, and contributes to safeguarding global peace and stability.

China, which controls over 90 percent of global processing capacity for rare earths used in everything from automobiles to home appliances, had imposed restrictions in early April requiring exporters to obtain licences from Beijing. (Xinhua/ Reuters)