China rare earth firms halt some US shipments over geopolitical worries, sources say ↧ ↧ China rare earth firms halt some US shipments over geopolitical wor... Some Chinese rare earth suppliers are declining to ship to the U.S. for fear of repercussions from Beijing, three sources said, ​underscoring how access to the materials remains an issue for the U.S. weeks before President Xi Jinping visits Washington.