BEIJING - China will extend a tariff exemption for 79 products imported from the United States that is due to expire on May 18, the finance ministry said in a notice published on Monday.

The products include rare earth ore, gold ore, and silver ore and concentrate, an attached list shows.

The exemption will be extended until Dec. 25, it said.

The products originally received exemptions from retaliatory tariffs China imposed on U.S. goods as counter measures to U.S. Section 301 action.

China has previously extended exemptions made during rounds of tariffs between the world's two biggest economies.

(Reporting by Gabriel Crossley Editing by Gareth Jones and Barbara Lewis) ((Gabriel.Crossley@thomsonreuters.com; +86 10 5669 2127;))