Asia Times reported recently: China has announced restrictions on the export of rare earth extraction technology, one reason being that Pakistan uses Chinese equipment to produce rare earths for the United States. China currently dominates the global key mineral sector, but Pakistan's act of selling rare earths to the United States undermines this geo-economic influence.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce recently announced tightened controls on the export of rare earth refining technology, requiring foreign companies to apply for a license to obtain Chinese rare earth refining and separation equipment and technology.
Commentary: Tightening the export of rare earth refining technology is essentially an accurate control over the "technology assistance - third-party transfer" chain. The equipment and technology obtained by Pakistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project were then used in collaboration with U.S. strategic metal companies to export rare earths to the U.S., directly touching China's core interests. The regulatory measures can effectively cut off the flow of technology that erodes its geostrategic advantages.
China's dominance in the global key mineral sector is not solely based on resource reserves, but rather on technical barriers — it occupies 92% of the global rare earth refining capacity and controls the entire core processes from mining to magnet manufacturing. This advantage makes resource countries like Pakistan unable to produce high-purity products without relying on Chinese technology.
This regulation expands the scope of control to 12 rare earth elements and related technologies, and extends to development projects involving Chinese companies overseas. It is essentially using an export licensing system to safeguard strategic interests. This not only responds to the U.S. competition for supply chains, but also warns against geopolitical speculation attempts to gain benefits from both sides, establishing new boundaries for technological control in global key mineral competition.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1845787066561543/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.