AsianFin -- The United States has lifted restrictions on ethane exports to China, signaling progress in the ongoing trade truce between the two nations. On Wednesday, U.S. officials sent letters to major producers Enterprise Products Partners and Energy Transfer, rescinding a license requirement imposed just weeks earlier.

The move follows restrictions introduced in late May and early June, when Washington curbed a range of exports—including ethane—after accusing Beijing of obstructing shipments of rare earth materials crucial to industries such as automotive and electronics.

The reversal comes after the U.S. and China resolved disputes last week over the flow of rare earth minerals and magnets to American companies, paving the way for renewed energy trade.