China on Friday signaled it would approve the export of rare earth minerals to the US, hours after White House officials said the two sides had reached a deal, in what would be a major breakthrough following weeks of negotiations over US access to the key materials.

Rare earths – essential in everything from everyday electronics to fighter jets – had become a key focus of trade frictions between the world’s two largest economies in recent weeks as their tit-for-tat tariff escalation morphed into a supply chain struggle.

“China will approve the export application of controlled items that meet the conditions in accordance with the law. The United States will cancel a series of restrictive measures taken against China accordingly,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

The statement was framed as a response to a question that specifically referenced how “China will accelerate the export of rare earths to the United States.”

The Chinese statement followed comments from US President Donald Trump and his Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Thursday confirming that the two sides had reached a deal.