A Chinese-backed militia is protecting new rare earth mines in eastern Myanmar, according to four people familiar with the matter, as Beijing moves to secure control of the minerals it is wielding as a bargaining chip in its trade war with Washington.

The US and China wrapped up two days of high-stakes trade talks in London. The result: a plan to establish a framework for implementing a consensus the two sides had already agreed to last month. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the Chinese had pledged to speed up shipments of rare-earth metals critical to US auto and defense firms,