European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday tried to find common ground with Donald Trump by criticizing China's export restrictions on raw materials used for cars, batteries and wind turbines.
During a session on the global economy at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, von der Leyen slammed Beijing for disrupting global trade by deploying subsidies to boost its own companies, according to an EU readout of the event. The chief of the EU executive accused China of "weaponizing" its leading position in producing and refining critical raw materials, and of ignoring global trade rules to undercut competitors.
Since April, Beijing has significantly restricted exports of permanent magnets and the minerals needed to make them. While that move came in response to Trump's tariffs on China, Beijing has applied the restrictions globally, hurting Europe too.
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