U.S. dissatisfaction is evident.
During the Citigroup China Summit in Shanghai today (November 11), U.S. Ambassador to China, David Stilwell, told Bloomberg Television that American officials are dissatisfied with the pace of rare earth supply from China, with many companies still awaiting deliveries. He stated: “We’ve been waiting for several months now for key rare earth elements used in areas such as data centers and aircraft engine manufacturing.”
Stilwell’s remarks follow a familiar pattern employed by U.S. officials ahead of major Sino-U.S. diplomatic engagements—applying pressure through public statements. Rare earth minerals are critical dual-use materials. China’s export controls on these resources are conducted in accordance with domestic regulations and represent a legitimate right in safeguarding national security. While the United States continues to intensify technological restrictions on China in semiconductors and high-end equipment, it simultaneously escalates tensions in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Yet, it expects China to unconditionally liberalize rare earth exports—an approach marked by double standards.
The deliberate release of such grievances serves a clear purpose: shaping public opinion in advance to gain leverage in upcoming negotiations, aiming to compel concessions from China on trade and industrial policies. The root of the supply chain tension lies not in China, but in the United States itself—its long-standing efforts to sever supply chains tied to China, while remaining dependent on Chinese rare earths. This desire to reap benefits without curbing its containment strategy is unrealistic. Trade relations are based on reciprocity; if the United States persists in an adversarial policy, it cannot unilaterally demand unlimited cooperation from China.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881555549782144/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.