China urges G7 to stop using ‘small circles’ to undermine global trade order

China on Thursday criticized the Group of Seven’s efforts to reduce reliance on Chinese critical minerals, urging the bloc to respect international trade rules and avoid what it described as using “small circles” to disrupt the global economic order.

Responding to a G7 joint statement on critical minerals, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing’s position on maintaining the stability and security of global industrial and supply chains “remains unchanged.”

“China’s efforts to regulate and improve its export control system align with common international practices, and are aimed at better maintaining world peace and regional stability and fulfilling international obligations such as non-proliferation,” Lin told reporters, according to remarks shared by China’s state-affiliated Global Times on X.

Although the G7 statement did not explicitly mention China, it emphasized reducing dependence on a single supplier of critical minerals and rare earths, sectors in which China holds a dominant global position.

Lin urged the grouping to “earnestly abide by market economy principles and international economic and trade rules and stop undermining the international economic and trade order with ‘small circles’ rules.”

The remarks came a day after G7 leaders agreed to deepen coordination on critical mineral supply chains, announcing a new alliance and crisis-response platform aimed at reducing vulnerabilities linked to concentrated sources of supply.

The initiative includes plans to coordinate stockpiles, diversify sourcing and strengthen cooperation with the International Energy Agency. The bloc has also set a goal of reducing dependence on any single non-G7 supplier of rare earths and permanent magnets to below 60% by 2030.

The issue has become a growing point of contention between China and Western economies as demand rises for minerals essential to electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, semiconductors and defense industries. China currently dominates global processing capacity for many rare earth elements and critical minerals.