THE NEW YORK TIMES: The move escalates supply chain warfare and comes a day after the Biden administration expanded curbs on the sale of advanced American technology to China.
China said on Tuesday that it would begin banning the export of several rare minerals to the United States, an escalation of the tech war between the world’s two biggest powers. The move comes a day after the Biden administration tightened Chinese access to advanced American technology.
The ban signals Beijing’s willingness to engage in supply chain warfare by blocking the export of important components used to make valuable products, like weaponry and semiconductors.
Sales of gallium, germanium, antimony and so-called superhard materials to the United States would be halted immediately on the grounds that they have dual military and civilian uses, China’s Ministry of Commerce said. The export of graphite would also be subject to stricter review.
China is central to many global supply chains, but it generally refrained from clamping down on its own exports during the first Trump administration, preferring instead to take more limited actions like buying soybeans from Brazil instead of the United States. But senior Chinese officials are worried that President-elect Donald J. Trump plans more stringent policies during his coming term in office. » | David Pierson, Keith Bradsher and Ana Swanson | David Pierson reported from Hong Kong, Keith Bradsher from Beijing and Ana Swanson from Washington. | Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Trump had better start reassessing his tariff policies before he re-enters the White House in January. If he doesn’t, he will surely be facing humiliation and an embarrassing stand-down. There is no way that the USA can compete with China when it comes to trade. The sheer size of the country of China, its population, its far cheaper labour, and its abundance of natural resources mean that the odds are stacked in China’s favour. Mr Trump: Be wise! Get back to the drawing board! Your policies need to be re-assessed. – © Mark Alexander
