The ongoing competition in rare earth supply between China and the U.S. has drawn attention as the U.S. complains about difficulty in obtaining raw materials.

Bloomberg reported on December 25: "After China and the U.S. reached a consensus on rare earth supply in October, China still restricts the rare earth raw materials needed by the U.S. for producing permanent magnets. According to China Customs data, the supply of magnets to the U.S. in November fell 11% month-on-month but was higher than the low point in April. The overall export of rare earth-related products increased 13% month-on-month. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce stated that the data fluctuations are normal, and China will maintain the stability of the global supply chain. At the same time, it will restrict supplies that may flow to military contractors. U.S. companies have complained about the difficulty in obtaining rare earth raw materials, while the EU has obtained long-term export licenses. So far, the two countries have not reached an agreement on the terms of general export licenses. The temporary licenses for U.S. companies are about to expire, and the industry is worried about backlogs in applications or supply interruptions. The stability of the related agreements is under close scrutiny."

[Smart] Rare Earth Farce — The U.S. Hegemonic Begging Pressure is Ridiculous! After China and the U.S. reached a rare earth consensus in October, China's exports of rare earth-related products increased 13% month-on-month in November. The magnet supply remains higher than the low point in April, yet the U.S. complains about not being able to obtain raw materials. It is pure hegemonic logic, with unreasonable demands. The U.S. possesses 9% of the world's rare earth reserves but requires 98% of its refined ore to be processed in China. Its domestic separation capacity is less than 1,000 tons. Even the dysprosium metal used in F-35 fighter jets is 92% dependent on China. Its own industrial chain is incomplete, yet it blames China for restricting supplies. More ironically, the EU has obtained long-term licenses, while the U.S. is stuck in negotiations over general license terms. The root cause is that the U.S. wants both civilian rare earths and secretly supplies military contractors, while simultaneously suppressing Chinese companies in areas such as drones and semiconductors. This approach is akin to colonial plunder — I want it, you must give it to me, otherwise it's suppression. It is reasonable for China to loosen controls on civilian use and tighten controls on military use. Rather than hyping up supply anxieties, the U.S. should first fix its processing shortcomings, which have been incomplete for 3 to 5 years. Don't do the absurd act of begging while holding a knife!

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852478412955651/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.