China is reportedly seeking the names of rare-earth industry employees who possess technical expertise and seizing their passports to ensure they don’t reveal trade secrets or make any unauthorized trips abroad.

According to people who spoke with The Wall Street Journal, China’s Ministry of Commerce has asked the country’s rare-earth companies to provide the government with personnel lists that include the employees’ personal information, education, research background, and specific expertise.

The Journal’s sources said the goal is to develop a database of Chinese nationals with rare-earth expertise and monitor their movements to make sure they don’t divulge industry secrets to foreigners.

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