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KUALA LUMPUR: US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim signed a trade agreement on Sunday, boosting US access to critical minerals as China tightens controls on rare earths.

Beijing this month announced sweeping restrictions on the rare earths industry, prompting Trump to threaten 100 percent tariffs on imports from China in retaliation.

Trump is in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur at the Association of South East Asian Nations summit, ahead of a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday.

Under the new US-Malaysia deal, Kuala Lumpur pledged to “refrain from banning or imposing quotas on exports to the US of critical minerals,” while Washington agreed the formalization of a 19 percent tariff on Malaysian goods.

“Malaysia has committed to ensure no restrictions are imposed on the sale of rare earth magnets to US companies,” the White House said in a joint statement.

Malaysia also vowed to speed up development of its critical minerals sector in partnership with US firms, including extending operating licenses to boost production capacity.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the deal would make investment and trade in critical minerals “as free as possible and as resilient as possible.”

“We live in a world where having these critical minerals is important to our manufacturing, to our technology and to our economy,” Greer said at the signing.

“It’s very important that we cooperate as willing partners with each other to ensure that we can have smooth supply chains.”

Malaysia said in 2023 that it holds around 16.2 million tonnes of untapped rare earth reserves.

A nationwide moratorium on raw rare earth exports took effect on Jan. 1, 2024, aiming to encourage domestic processing.

At the height of a US-China trade dispute in 2019, Chinese state media suggested that rare earth exports to the US could be cut in retaliation -- sparking fear among manufacturers.

In 2010, Japan experienced the pain of a cut-off when China halted rare earth exports over a territorial conflict.

Since then, Tokyo has pushed hard to diversify supplies, signing deals with the Australian group Lynas for production from Malaysia, and ramping up its recycling capabilities.

RIYADH: Riyadh Air, ����ֱ��’s new national carrier, marked a major milestone on Oct. 26 with the successful completion of its first passenger flight from King Khalid International Airport to London Heathrow.

The airline said in a statement that the London service, operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, will run daily and is currently limited to Riyadh Air employees and select guests.

The launch represents a key step in ����ֱ��’s broader strategy to develop a world-class aviation industry and reinforce its position as a global hub for business and tourism. The Kingdom’s National Tourism Strategy targets over 150 million visitors annually by 2030, with the sector contributing 10 percent to gross domestic product.

“Today marks a truly proud moment for the Kingdom as Riyadh Air commences its first daily service to London Heathrow. This pivotal step is a direct realization of ����ֱ��’s ambition to connect to the world, strongly supporting Vision 2030,” said Riyadh Air.

“These flights, operated aboard our designated Boeing 787-9 ‘Jamila,’ are a core component of our ‘Pathway to Perfect’ go-to-market plan and are designed to ensure unparalleled operational readiness,” the airline added. “Available only to Riyadh Air employees and select guests, each flight will allow us to fine-tune every detail, guaranteeing a seamless, world-class travel experience ahead of our full 2025 operations.”

Announced in 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh Air is expected to add more than $20 billion to the Kingdom’s non-oil GDP and create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.

By 2030, the carrier plans to serve more than 100 destinations worldwide.

In April, the airline received approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation to begin flight operations, after securing its Air Operator Certificate upon meeting all regulatory, safety, and operational requirements.

Earlier this month, Riyadh Air said services to Dubai will follow soon, with additional winter 2025 and summer 2026 routes to be announced in the coming months.