Effective June 4, China has enforced export restrictions on select rare earth alloys, mixtures, and magnets for over two months. This move has prompted warnings from overseas automakers and industry associations that shortages of these critical materials could cause delays and potentially bring automotive manufacturing plants to a standstill. The President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry has cautioned that if the current situation does not improve swiftly, German automotive production might face delays or even interruptions. Likewise, automakers from India and Japan have echoed these concerns and are urgently seeking meetings with relevant Chinese authorities to expedite the approval process for rare earth magnet exports.