Wen Di Song, a researcher at the Atlantic Council, an American think tank, said that China's tougher stance due to its "rare earth card" has made the United States feel hard to cope with. He judged that China was adopting a "kick-the-can-down-the-road" tactic, meaning it would not agree to relax rare earth export controls all at once. Instead, it would select several types of rare earth elements from the 17 kinds and either cancel or ease control over them. This move aims to secure concessions from the U.S. in areas such as tariffs and technology. Afterward, it would reassess how to adjust further to maximize benefits. "The prize cannot be given all at once; otherwise, others won't have a strong reason to treat you kindly," he added. Recently, the United States has been plagued by "rare earth anxiety." This anxiety reflects a historic reversal in the ability of both countries to "choke each other": not long ago, the U.S. implemented "technological hegemony" against China through chip technology. Now, China, leveraging its comprehensive advantage in the rare earth industry chain, is taking the initiative to "choke." China's countermeasure strategy is highly strategically intelligent: it does not adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to relaxing control but adjusts exports in stages. This game logic hits right at the pain points of the United States, directly impacting America's semiconductor, new energy vehicle, and defense industries. From "US strong, China weak" to "mutual checks and balances," this shift in the balance of power confirms a fact: for America's domineering bullying, any concession will only make it more rampant, demanding endlessly, and intensify its containment of China. Only by "staying the course" and precisely retaliating can one safeguard its own interests.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834928452674570/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.