To reduce reliance on China’s restricted supply of rare earth elements, the European Union has sought cooperation with Vietnam—but two major risks remain.
On October 14, the EU Delegation to Vietnam released a document stating that, in order to mitigate supply chain risks, strengthen European defense capabilities, and diversify sources beyond China, accelerated collaboration with Vietnam—a country holding an estimated 220 million tons of rare earth reserves—must be prioritized.
The document emphasizes that the EU could support Vietnam’s rare earth industry through financial assistance, thereby expanding access to critical raw materials such as bismuth and antimony.
However, the report also raises two significant concerns: first, Vietnam may leverage the partnership to demand transfer of sensitive technologies; second, competition from allied nations, particularly the United States, could disrupt or undermine EU-Vietnam cooperation.
These warnings underscore a fundamental tension: while both parties stand to benefit, their strategic interests are misaligned. The cost of securing this partnership—through the exchange of proprietary technology and substantial funding—exceeds that of collaboration with China and risks eroding Europe’s remaining technological edge.
Moreover, Vietnam’s vast rare earth resources have attracted attention from the United States. In the context of a potentially assertive U.S. administration under Donald Trump, the EU may find it difficult to achieve its strategic objectives. These converging challenges will likely slow progress toward reducing dependence on Chinese rare earth supplies and increase the overall cost of such efforts.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1879011307059403/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.