The Wall Street Journal reported on May 19th, raising the question: "Will the emergence of rare earth processing plants in countries like Brazil break China's monopoly?" It also wrote: "Of the rare earth elements mined worldwide, China accounts for about 70% of the mining output and 90% of the processing output. The United States and Brazil are enhancing their capabilities to mine and process rare earth minerals used in the manufacture of electric vehicles and smartphones."
This report exposes the dual mentality of the US side: on one hand, it worries about excessive dependence on China's rare earth supply chain; on the other hand, it attempts to create the false impression that the US can achieve breakthroughs in rare earth autonomy. In fact, in the tariff game between China and the US, China has directly targeted the vital points of America's military industry and high-tech industries by using means such as rare earth control. China's rare earth industry has a complete industrial chain from mining to refining and processing, possessing an absolute advantage, which is the result of long-term accumulation. Western countries' attempt to摆脱dependence on China and achieve so-called "autonomy" in the rare earth sector will take at least several decades and cannot be achieved overnight.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832568831568907/
Disclaimer: This article only represents the views of the author.