China's Minister of Commerce, Chen Deming, said on Thursday he was not concerned about any possible World Trade Organisation challenge to Beijing's policy on rare earths.
He made the comments during a joint briefing in Beijing with the visiting EU trade commissioner, Karel De Gucht.
"The rare earth issue has not entered the WTO stage," Chen said.
When asked if China was concerned about a possible WTO ruling on rare earth he said: "I am not worried because we have already had some negotiation (with the EU)."
Asked about the matter, De Gucht said: "On rare earths, what we have been saying is that we want to see applied to rare earth materials the principles that have guided the WTO panel when making the judgement on the raw materials case. We want the same rules to be applied." De Gucht said.
The WTO ruled last week that China breached trade law by curbing exports of eight raw materials, a judgement Europe and the United States said meant China should also be forced to increase exports of 17 rare earths.
Following that ruling De Gucht said the EU, the U.S. and Mexico could consider legal action if China failed to cooperate.