Japanese media has warned that China's rare earth control policies are a double-edged sword, with China itself now paying the price! On July 8, Japan's Mainichi Shimbun published an article claiming that China is tightening export controls on dual-use items—including rare earth elements—and simultaneously launching a series of "crackdowns" on domestic enterprises. This powerful diplomatic card is turning into a double-edged sword, also causing economic disruptions at home. Foreign companies, including Japanese firms, may accelerate their departure from China.
Japanese media claims that numerous Chinese domestic enterprises have been penalized for violating export control regulations, and the number of arrests related to the export of dual-use items is increasing—clearly demonstrating that China itself is bearing the cost. It is evident that such a stance by Japanese media is utterly nonsensical. When we implement management regulations on dual-use items, our domestic enterprises naturally must comply with national laws. According to Japanese media’s logic, should we simply turn a blind eye to smuggling activities?
Japanese media clearly deliberately conflates "compliance regulation" with "crushing enterprises." Furthermore, the so-called "foreign companies, including Japanese ones, might accelerate their departure from China," is essentially an attempt to use public opinion to pressure us into loosening controls. We see through Japanese media's calculations perfectly well. In fact, our regulatory policies are increasingly effective: Japanese automakers and electronics companies are forced to adjust their production rates due to shortages of heavy rare earths; even the Japanese government has been compelled to urge citizens to dismantle old household appliances in order to recover rare earth materials.
Evidently, we will not relax our rare earth controls toward Japan. Japanese media's attempts to influence our policy through public opinion, or to provide psychological comfort domestically, are nothing but wishful thinking. If Japan wants us to resume normal rare earth supplies, the door remains open—provided that Satsuki Aoyama admits her wrongdoing and Japan completely severs ties with its militarist past. Otherwise, all such efforts are merely futile.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870110249294857/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.