China Choking Supply of Critical Minerals to Western Defense

[annotator]

China is limiting the flow of critical minerals to Western defense manufacturers, delaying production and forcing companies to scour the world for stockpiles of the minerals needed to make everything from bullets to jet fighters.

Earlier this year, as U.S.-China trade tensions soared, Beijing tightened the controls it places on the export of rare earths. While Beijing allowed them to start flowing after the Trump administration agreed in June to a series of trade concessions, China has maintained a lock on critical minerals for defense purposes.

https://archive.ph/pZ6ay#selection-759.0-763.321

 

America needs to launch a massive program to ensure access to these minerals.

[sandyf]

5 minutes ago, annotator said:

China is limiting the flow of critical minerals to Western defense manufacturers, delaying production and forcing companies to scour the world for stockpiles of the minerals needed to make everything from bullets to jet fighters.

Earlier this year, as U.S.-China trade tensions soared, Beijing tightened the controls it places on the export of rare earths. While Beijing allowed them to start flowing after the Trump administration agreed in June to a series of trade concessions, China has maintained a lock on critical minerals for defense purposes.

https://archive.ph/pZ6ay#selection-759.0-763.321

 

America needs to launch a massive program to ensure access to these minerals.

Don't you think it would be better if the US stopped interfering in everyone else's business.

[annotator]

1 minute ago, sandyf said:

Don't you think it would be better if the US stopped interfering in everyone else's business.

That's basically what President Trump is doing. A few missteps here and there. But he is disengaging from telling other governments how they should be run.

 

[FlorC]

China should have done this a decade ago.

[annotator]

1 hour ago, FlorC said:

China should have done this a decade ago.

From their point of view that would have been a terrible idea. They've been profiting massively from technology transfers from the US. Why would they want to put a stop to that? Here's a great article that illustrates the point.

https://archive.ph/i80rH

[pegman]

14 hours ago, annotator said:

China is limiting the flow of critical minerals to Western defense manufacturers, delaying production and forcing companies to scour the world for stockpiles of the minerals needed to make everything from bullets to jet fighters.

Earlier this year, as U.S.-China trade tensions soared, Beijing tightened the controls it places on the export of rare earths. While Beijing allowed them to start flowing after the Trump administration agreed in June to a series of trade concessions, China has maintained a lock on critical minerals for defense purposes.

https://archive.ph/pZ6ay#selection-759.0-763.321

 

America needs to launch a massive program to ensure access to these minerals.

The Yanks set their priorities by pork barrel politics not by necessities. USA has an incredibly corrupt political system. 

[swissie]

On 8/4/2025 at 5:01 AM, annotator said:

China is limiting the flow of critical minerals to Western defense manufacturers, delaying production and forcing companies to scour the world for stockpiles of the minerals needed to make everything from bullets to jet fighters.

Earlier this year, as U.S.-China trade tensions soared, Beijing tightened the controls it places on the export of rare earths. While Beijing allowed them to start flowing after the Trump administration agreed in June to a series of trade concessions, China has maintained a lock on critical minerals for defense purposes.

https://archive.ph/pZ6ay#selection-759.0-763.321

 

America needs to launch a massive program to ensure access to these minerals.

Quote: " America needs to launch a massive program to ensure access to these Minerals".

 

Absolutely correct, but it will take many years to accomplish that. 

 

For many essential "rare earths", China has practically a monopolistic position. The rest of the world (including the Trump administration) has not really understood this.

 

By stopping those exports, a tariff/trade war between China and the US will not last long because Donald WILL HAVE to TACO TACO TACO, with emphasis on "he will have to".

 

[sandyf]

On 8/4/2025 at 10:11 AM, annotator said:

But he is disengaging from telling other governments how they should be run.

Delusional - you need to lookup the meaning of "disengage"

 

A controversial investment pledge forming part of the EU-US trade deal will need to be honoured by the EU or 35% blanket tariffs will be applied to the bloc, US President Donald Trump has warned.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/08/05/trump-threatens-eu-with-35-tariffs-if-600bn-investment-pledge-unfulfilled

 

US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order hitting India with an additional 25% tariff over its purchases of Russian oil.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dxr1g4y7yo

[annotator]

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

Delusional - you need to lookup the meaning of "disengage"

 

A controversial investment pledge forming part of the EU-US trade deal will need to be honoured by the EU or 35% blanket tariffs will be applied to the bloc, US President Donald Trump has warned.

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/08/05/trump-threatens-eu-with-35-tariffs-if-600bn-investment-pledge-unfulfilled

 

US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order hitting India with an additional 25% tariff over its purchases of Russian oil.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1dxr1g4y7yo

Well, tariffs imposed by President Trump mostly aren't meddling in the internal governanceof other nations. Mostly. But in the case of India you are absolutely correct. President Trump shouldn't be telling India not to trade with Russia. That's their business and not at all consistent with the principles of America First.

[theblether]

3 minutes ago, annotator said:

Well, tariffs imposed by President Trump mostly aren't meddling in the internal governanceof other nations. Mostly. But in the case of India you are absolutely correct. President Trump shouldn't be telling India not to trade with Russia. That's their business and not at all consistent with the principles of America First.

 

So it's in US interests to allow a nominal ally to fund the Ukraine War? 

 

The fastest way to end this war is fir the rest of the world to stop buying Russian energy. 

 

I don't usually comment on the Ukraine War but did anyone see Putins interview this week? 

[annotator]

20 minutes ago, theblether said:

 

So it's in US interests to allow a nominal ally to fund the Ukraine War? 

 

The fastest way to end this war is fir the rest of the world to stop buying Russian energy. 

 

I don't usually comment on the Ukraine War but did anyone see Putins interview this week? 

Why is it in America's business to interfere in the Ukraine Russia War? The whole point of America first is stop intervening in foreign conflicts. How are America's interests hurt by this war? But if India does stop buying Russian oil, that would raise its price and hurt the American economy.

[theblether]

5 hours ago, annotator said:

Why is it in America's business to interfere in the Ukraine Russia War? The whole point of America first is stop intervening in foreign conflicts. How are America's interests hurt by this war? But if India does stop buying Russian oil, that would raise its price and hurt the American economy.

 

Your way too late. Biden dragged the USA into it 

[annotator]

7 minutes ago, theblether said:

 

Your way too late. Biden dragged the USA into it 

So what? Why are stuck with what Biden did? President Trump is reversing Biden's policies all over the place. Stop blaming Biden for this. It sounds weak. Why can't President Trump just disengage? You sound like those people who said that once we got into Vietnam there was no way we could back out. Are you familiar with the saying "Throwing good money after bad."?

[theblether]

3 hours ago, annotator said:

So what? Why are stuck with what Biden did? President Trump is reversing Biden's policies all over the place. Stop blaming Biden for this. It sounds weak. Why can't President Trump just disengage? You sound like those people who said that once we got into Vietnam there was no way we could back out. Are you familiar with the saying "Throwing good money after bad."?

 

Yes you are stuck with what Biden did. 

[annotator]

10 hours ago, theblether said:

 

Yes you are stuck with what Biden did. 

All you do is  repeat yourself. You have no good answer as to why America is stuck with Biden getting the USA involved with the Russian Ukraine war.