Brazil’s rare earth exports to China tripled in the first half of 2025 just as Chinese imports surged to a record high, fuelling concerns that Beijing-Washington trade tensions may be quietlyreroutingg the world’s supply chains through emerging economies.
The figures are part of a report released on Thursday by the China-Brazil Business Council (CBBC) that shows Brazil’s exports to China fell 7.5 per cent compared to the same period last year, reaching US$47.7 billion.
Imports from China rose 22 per cent to US$35.7 billion. As a result, Brazil’s trade surplus with China narrowed to US$12 billion. It was the lowest since 2019 and half the total recorded in 2024.
Rare earth compound exports reached US$6.7 million, a threefold increase over the first half of 2024. While small in absolute terms, analysts see the growth as a sign of China’s bid to diversify its access to strategic minerals.
Tulio Cariello, research director at CBBC and the report’s author, said the shifting numbers reflected not only China’s evolving industrial policy but also the ripple effects of global trade tensions.
“As the United States and China harden their trade barriers, Brazil ends up absorbing part of that shock,” he said.
