29 May 2019
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- China Steps Up Threat to Deprive US of Rare Earths
China Steps Up Threat to Deprive US of Rare Earths
Chinese state media dangled Wednesday the threat of cutting exports of rare earths to the United States as a counter-strike in the trade war, potentially depriving Washington of a key resource used to make everything from smartphones to military hardware.
Analysts have said China appears apprehensive of targeting the minerals just yet, possibly fearful of hastening a global search for alternative supplies of the commodities.
“I think China’s current objective is to put pressure on the US for more American concessions in the trade talks and compel the US to be less harsh on Huawei and other Chinese tech companies,” said Li Mingjiang, China programme coordinator at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
IDSS / Online
