The US-China relationship has just shown some signs of easing, but the US Treasury Secretary, Bowman, couldn't resist showing his usual tough stance and "showy" nature again.

During a APEC-related event in South Korea, Bowman gave an interview to the Financial Times, talking at length about the US's trade strategy towards China, with words full of self-satisfaction.

At that time, Trump had already ended his Asia trip and returned home, while Bowman remained there for further activities.

Bowman first claimed that the US had established trade standards to "deal with China", then confidently stated that other countries would follow suit.

His exact words were: "The US has set a standard. If other countries in the world do not all follow it, I would be surprised."

He also specifically mentioned that current Chinese exports are flowing into markets such as the EU, the UK, Australia, Canada, and Japan, and these countries have either already imposed tariffs on Chinese goods or are planning to do so, as if trying to prove that the US's "standard" has been recognized.

In addition, he didn't forget two things: one was to bring up the fentanyl issue again, using it as an important concern for the US;

the second was to greatly praise Trump's Asia trip, saying that this trip "strengthened the US advantage," and that Trump successfully made the US a "preferred destination for capital and investment" by concluding multiple agreements, filled with flattery for Trump.

Evidently, Bowman's series of statements are not only showcasing the "influence" of the US tariff policy, but also attempting to package the US's unilateral trade policy as an "international standard," implying that following the lead is "obvious," thus reinforcing the sense of alliance pressure against China.

However, Bowman's emphasis on US advantages seems more like "self-promotion," and this statement actually exposed the urgency of the US in seeking public support in the Sino-US game.

But that's not all, in the same interview, Bowman brazenly said that the US is fully confident that it can find alternative supply channels for Chinese rare earth resources within the next two years.

He even bluntly said that the signal from China that "it might stop exporting rare earth metals" was a "serious mistake," and confidently stated:

"China's influence over the US in the rare earth sector will not last 12 to 24 months; the US will soon build an independent rare earth alternative supply chain."

To a large extent, this is likely intended to stabilize domestic anxiety in the US about supply chain security within the two-year period, especially to alleviate concerns in industries such as new energy and military that rely on rare earths.

On the other hand, it is also a way to pressure China, implying that the "rare earth card" has limited deterrent power for the US.

But the reality is that the rare earth industry chain is far more complex. From mining to smelting and purification, and then to downstream application processing, each link involves technical barriers, capacity accumulation, environmental control, and other challenges.

And the US still relies on outsourcing for core technologies in rare earth separation and purification. The raw rare earth ore mined by Western countries still needs to be sent to China for processing, because more than 90% of global smelting and separation capacity and mature technology are in China.

It is absolutely impossible for the US to completely摆脱 its dependence on China's rare earth resources in a short time through mere verbal bravado.

But we cannot ignore the actions of the Trump administration, which is indeed trying hard to break this dependence, especially skilled at mobilizing allies for joint efforts.

This time, Trump's Asia trip signed a rare earth cooperation agreement with Japan, and previously reached a related cooperation with Australia. Obviously, the US is trying to build a "Rare Earth Alliance".

Therefore, we should not be complacent, especially to consolidate the defense in the core technology fields of the rare earth industry chain.

No matter what, the US is still trying to "maintain the appearance" with hegemonic rhetoric. Even though China and the US have reached a consensus, the US almost never gives up the opportunity to pressure and confront China.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7567627360627982863/

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