Rare Earths Trade Worries Europe

The bitter trade falcons in Washington and Beijing left the rare land – strong elements that are decisive to defense and other advanced technologies – that the weak, weak European leaders are concerned that they may be after that.

Contracts of Chinese government investment in the local industry in the country allowed the leadership of the global supply chains of rare land, as Beijing created a thorn more than 85 percent of treatment and more than 90 percent of magnet production. When US President Donald Trump launched his trade war in April, China launched the benefit of this domination and restricted rare land exports-which led to a sharp warning not only to the White House but for all trade partners in Beijing.

The bitter trade falcons in Washington and Beijing left the rare land – strong elements that are decisive to defense and other advanced technologies – that the weak, weak European leaders are concerned that they may be after that.

Contracts of Chinese government investment in the local industry in the country allowed that China request the global supply chains of rare land, as Beijing has created a suffocation of more than 85 percent of He treats And more than 90 percent of magnet production. When US President Donald Trump launched his trade war in April, China launched the benefit of this domination and restricted rare land exports-which led to a sharp warning not only to the White House but for all trade partners in Beijing.

Like Washington, Europe remains Very weak To the rare fist in Beijing. “If China can do this to the United States, it can do this to anyone,” said Eilara Mazuku, an economic security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Nothing prevents China from doing it again.”

Certainly, Europe’s fears this week will be afraid with the decline in senior officials Beijing to The Chinese European Union Summit, which begins on Thursday. While she is in China, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Layen It is expected to press for A stronger arrival than rare land in high -level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Lee Qiang.

“Europe wants” more reliable land supplies to the Earth coming from China. ” “They don’t want to be dragged into the boxing match [the] The United States and China today. ”

This week’s summit may celebrate 50 years of bilateral relationships Between Beijing and Brussels, but the mood that turns to the high risk event is only a rosy. Reaching rare land is just one in a long list of external challenges and trade that currently attracts the relationship, including divisions about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Chinese electric cars flow Brussels has been refined.

It is not China that withholds European officials only. The summit is coming during a period preserved in European policy, where Brussels wrestled simultaneously with the Trump administration Painful trade war And collapse in Relationships across the Atlantic. “Europe feels pressure on all sides,” said Mazoku.

These tensions have been subjected to severe satisfaction in recent weeks, as both Beijing and Brussels are trading European Union sanctionsAnd Ukraine and China Industrial excess power And commercial measures.

“Let me be clear: if our partnership is the progress Declare In a fiery speech this month.

Beijing sees things differently. Yun Sun, director of China at the Stimson Center, said China believes that Europe needs “reconciling with reality” and re -calculating its relationship with Washington and Beijing.

From Beijing’s point of view, Europe cannot “deal with China as [the] Enemy, “Sun.

On the horizon on all these frictions are rare weaknesses in Europe. The European lawmakers have She was eager for a long time To secure the new supply chains for rare land and other critical minerals and exceeded in recent years to enhance Local projectsDrafting new global partnerships, and New legislation unveiled To enhance the local industry. One of the largest legislative payments in Brussels, Critical raw material lawIt defines the main objectives of extraction, treatment and recycling that aims to reduce the continent’s dependence on Chinese supply chains.

For European officials, the US-Chinese trade war and punishing the anti-rare antidote-which led to the interruption of the United States market and caused disturbances in Europe– He only stressed the importance of diversification away from China.

Brussels may now accelerate its efforts. This week, von der Lin – who is he currently In Japan – the launch of a “competitive alliance” with Tokyo, including disposal of rare land.

But the challenge of China on the rare land may not be very easy, in a large part of it because Beijing for decades in this industry gave it a comprehensive grip on market supplies, allowing it to influence global prices and pay competitors.

The land market is very rare opaqueCompanies are competing with gaps of great experience and financial challenges. Falsifying new supply chains, too, is not just the issue of finding a new mine; It requires a complete environmental system for processing and manufacturing capabilities.

Unlike the United States, the European Union also faces the additional challenge of coordination between member states, all of which have its own interests and priorities. In 2022, it took the war in Ukraine and punishing Russian natural gas pieces To force European countries in the end to start dismantling Moscow’s supplies, which has long been a lifestyle for the continent.

“My fear, as we often seen with Europe, is that Europe is moving unusually slow until they must move quickly – then they move quickly,” Mourinhot said. “Raw material reliance is not something, unfortunately, Europe moves quickly.”

However, after Washington watched a ball of rare restrictions in China, Europe may choose the enemy forward this time.

“The message is clear: China may hurt European companies significantly,” said Mazoku. “There was a clear economic security message that was transferred.”