Move expected to stimulate shipments of minerals crucial to the technology sector

Export duties on rare earths will be eliminated on May 1, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement on Thursday, a move that analysts said would stimulate China's exports of the limited resource.

Rare earths - a group of minerals that are crucial to the technology and defense industries - as well as tungsten and molybdenum will be exempt from tariffs, and wrought aluminum products will also enjoy a zero rate, the statement said.