AsianFin -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that the United States wields greater leverage than China in trade relations, highlighting airplane parts as a key tool to counter Beijing’s restrictions on rare-earth materials.

“We have much bigger and better cards than they do,” Trump said. “If I played those cards, that would destroy China. I’m not going to play those cards.”

China had halted most shipments of rare-earth magnets to the U.S. in April, leveraging its control of roughly 90% of global production to pressure American manufacturers. Under a trade truce negotiated with the Trump administration, Beijing resumed exports, with shipments to the U.S. reaching a six-month high in July.