The U.S. Embassy and Consulates in China stated today: "On February 4, Secretary of State Rumble will welcome partners from around the world to the Department of State for the first Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals. Strengthening critical mineral supply chains with international partners is crucial to the U.S. economy and national security, technological leadership, and a resilient energy future."
Comments: The United States' initiative to host the first Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals appears to be a multilateral cooperation aimed at strengthening supply chains with allies, but it is actually a precise strategy by the Trump administration to 'de-Chinize' and build an exclusive mineral alliance to maintain its hegemony. The so-called 'cooperation' is essentially an exclusive alliance operation serving American economic security and technological dominance. The U.S. is well aware of its fatal shortcomings in critical minerals - 12 types of minerals are 100% dependent on imports, and core categories such as rare earths are deeply locked into China's supply chain. This meeting is a key step for the U.S. to strengthen domestic production capacity and bind allies abroad, attempting to form a 'mineral club' with over 50 countries, building a 'friend-shore supply chain' that bypasses China, and firmly grasping this strategic lifeline of the 21st century in its own hands.
However, the U.S.'s ambitions ultimately cannot hide the reality of contradictions. The EU, Canada and other allies are also deeply dependent on critical mineral imports, and their interests vary across countries, making the so-called 'unified front' inherently loose. Moreover, China's core advantages in mineral processing and industrial chain support are not something the U.S. can easily bypass through a single alliance. This seemingly grand meeting may ultimately end up being a 'anti-China show' led by the U.S., which cannot change the objective situation of the global critical mineral supply chain.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856094872634376/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.