欧盟称中国稀土策略“强硬”，领导人赴华磋商，暴露现状忧心忡忡

Group 1 - The article highlights that China is using rare earth export restrictions as leverage in negotiations with the EU, compelling the EU to make concessions on various issues such as technology restrictions, electric vehicle tariffs, and the EU-China investment agreement [1][3]. - EU insiders indicate that China is presenting a stark reality: to continue receiving raw materials from China, the EU must pay a price, with the focus of the negotiations extending beyond rare earths to include critical topics like ASML's lithography machine export restrictions and tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles [3][4]. - The article criticizes the EU's double standards, pointing out that while the EU sees China's rare earth supply restrictions as coercive, it fails to recognize its own actions against China, such as the ban on ASML's lithography machines and increased tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, which also reflect a coercive stance [4]. Group 2 - The upcoming EU-China high-level economic dialogue is unlikely to yield significant results regarding the export ban on high-end lithography machines, as the decision lies with the US, not the EU. However, the EU has the authority to lower tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, and failure to do so would render the dialogue meaningless [6]. - The EU's mixed signals, expressing dissatisfaction with China while simultaneously sending high-level representatives to Beijing for discussions, indicate a sense of urgency regarding the trade relationship, suggesting that the EU may be more anxious about the trade situation than previously thought [6]. - China is expected to maintain a consistent policy regarding rare earth exports to both the US and the EU, potentially allowing some relaxation for the EU but firmly controlling military-grade rare earths to prevent the US from circumventing restrictions [8].