Beijing’s new export controls on rare earths go well beyond restricting access to a critical technology input, according to a former White House advisor.

On Thursday, China’s commerce ministry said that starting on Dec. 1 a license will be required for foreign companies to export products with more than 0.1% of rare earths from China or that are made with Chinese production technology.

That prompted President Donald Trump to announce Friday that he will impose an additional 100% tariff on China and limit U.S. exports of software. But while it seemed like the latest tit-for-tat exchange in the U.S.-China trade war, there’s much more at stake.

“We should not miss the fundamental point on rare earths: China has crafted a policy that gives it the power to forbid any country on Earth from

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