Beijing has suspended exports of certain rare earth minerals and magnets that are crucial for the world’s car, semiconductor and aerospace industries.

Shipments of the magnets, essential for assembling everything from cars and drones to robots and missiles, have been halted at many Chinese ports while the Chinese government drafts a new regulatory system. Once in place, the new system could permanently prevent supplies from reaching certain companies, including American military contractors.

https://archive.ph/Gt15t

  • Voroxpete@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    591·
    2 days ago

    For the Chinese, this is an incredibly sensible way to respond, no question.

    As a Canadian, I’m worried. This is only going to strengthen Trump’s case for giving the US direct access rate earth minerals through one sided deals in Ukraine, and by coercing or dominating Canada.

    • setsubyou@lemmy.worldEnglish
      23·
      2 days ago

      The amount of raw ore is not actually the problem. The US is already the second largest producer of rare earths after China. They can’t process all of the ore though so it gets shipped to China for that. The other thing is all of the US rare earths basically come from one mine, which is partially owned by a Chinese company. No amount of blackmailing random countries for mining rights will fix this.

    • qprimed@lemmy.mlEnglish
      20·
      2 days ago

      lets not forget Greenland. if you ever wondered what NATO on NATO violence might look like, boy do I have a timeline for you!

    • Luouth@lemmy.worldEnglish
      112·
      2 days ago

      It’s almost as if he’d planned the whole thing this way and I truly believe he’s not as stupid (or at least the people pulling his strings aren’t) as he makes out to be. Dead cat strategy professional just like Boris Johnson

      • theneverfox@pawb.socialEnglish
        5·
        1 day ago

        Oh, there’s a cohesive plan behind it all right, but before you give them too much credit it’s from the 1930’s. The new part of the plan seems to be to basically do the 1930’s again so they reuse the playbook

        Technocracy movement