Recently, China has officially launched a combination of punches against the United States, tightening rare earth export controls, and also implemented export controls on overseas rare earths related items containing China ingredients. This all-round blockade is tantamount to a "rare earth nuclear bomb." But I didn't expect that just four days later, before the United States had time to respond, the Dutch government suddenly jumped out and openly robbed China's overseas assets. Recently, the Dutch government suddenly took coercive measures against Anshi Semiconductor, a subsidiary of Wentai Technology, freezing global assets and suspending the authority of Chinese management.
Recently, China has launched a combination of punches, which can be called a precise attack on rare earth control measures. According to Announcement No. 61 of 2025 of the Ministry of Commerce of China, this control not only targets rare earth raw materials, but also covers related technologies, equipment and the entire industrial chain links. This means that even if rare products are processed in a third country, as long as Chinese technology is involved in the production process, they will be subject to export restrictions. China holds about 90% of the world's high-purity rare earth production capacity, and this dominant position makes the control measures have an immediate global impact.
In early October, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy issued a ministerial order to freeze the assets, intellectual property and personnel adjustment authority of its 30 global entities for a year. Even more shocking was the follow-up at the judicial level, when the Amsterdam Court of Appeal Enterprise Court suspended the board of directors of Zhang Qing, the founder of the company, and forcibly deposited 99 percent of the shares of the company to third parties.
In fact, with a single Netherlands, the courage could not be so great, and the Dutch actions are part of the European-American cooperation in dealing with China's rare-earth advantages, because the United States has incorporated the Netherlands into the system of technological blockade against China.
But in any case, it also shows the Chinese means, the West hurt, the West did not pretend, and began to jump the dog wall. China chose rare earth as a counter-means, with deep strategic consideration, on the one hand, rare earth as "industrial vitamins" in the defense and high-tech industry position irreplaceable, each F-35 fighter aircraft needs 417 kilograms of rare earth materials, high-end manufacturing equipment such as light engraving machines also seriously rely on rare earth elements. On the other hand, China from a simple resource exporter, turned into a rule maker. The new regulatory policy mimic the U.S. to China chip blockade strategy, realized "in his way." This is also telling Western countries such as the U.S., this time we have mastered the initiative.
The reason why the Netherlands suddenly became tough this time is very simple. First, as a European technological power, the Netherlands owns the lithography giant Asme, whose EUV lithography machines rely heavily on rare earth materials. China's regulatory measures have caused delays in equipment delivery in Asmail, and the Netherlands is facing huge industrial pressure. Therefore, for the Netherlands, freezing Anshi's assets may also be intended to gain bargaining chips and offset the pressure brought by China's advantage in rare earths.
But again, this politicization of commercial issues is a destruction of the basic rules of international trade. The Netherlands acted on the grounds of vague "national security" without providing any evidence of substantial risks. This unilateralism set a dangerous precedent and undoubtedly made a bad start. Imagine that the Netherlands can do this to other countries, so can other countries also counter the Netherlands on an equal basis?
Judging from the current situation, the next 1-3 months will be the key. The implementation of the Dutch court ruling and the results of Wingtech's legal counterattack will determine the direction of the incident. China may take further countermeasures, including expanding the scope of control or using other economic means.
But the potential risks should not be ignored.If other countries follow the Dutch approach, China’s overseas assets will face systemic risks.The global science and technology industry chain may further disconnect and the vitality of innovation is compromised.Technical cooperation in key areas such as semiconductors, new energy has emerged as a “coldfire effect”, which requires years to repair the loss of mutual trust.
However, we also have many coping strategies. On the one hand, we safeguard rights and interests through legal and diplomatic channels, and on the other hand, we accelerate technological autonomy, such as increasing the leading edge in rare earth refining technology and promoting the localization of semiconductor equipment.
At present, the rules of the global rare earth market are being rewritten, Western countries are also trying to establish a "rare earth price alliance", but in front of the advantages of China's entire industrial chain appears pale and powerless, Canada has tried to imitate China's rare earth process, but burned out of the furnace waste, the United States invested $ 28 billion in the rebuilding of the supply chain, in the end, or to rely on China's high-temperature mill.