China on Saturday said it had granted approval to some applications for the export of rare earths, in a move that comes just ahead of fresh trade talks between Chinese and U.S. officials on Monday. China's strict export controls over rare earths has been a flashpoint in trade relations with the U.

Beijing says it granted approval to some applications for the export of rare earths, a move that could ease tensions before trade negotiations between the US and China next week.

On April 4, China added seven of the 17 rare earths metals - such as samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium-related items - to a list of export controls two days after President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs took U.S. trade barriers to their highest in a century.