China to blacklist 'unreliable' companies, force them to choose sides
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Analysts say China’s rare earths threat is highly credible because it could take years for the United States to ramp up production of its own rare earths – the domestic industry practically disappeared in the 1990s. Roughly 80 per cent of US imports come from China, according to the US Geological Survey.
As of 2018, the top three rare earths producers were China, at 120,000 metric tons; Australia, at 20,000 metric tons; and the United States, at 15,000 metric tons, USGS figures show.
The People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official mouthpiece, carried a stark warning for the United States this week in an editorial about rare earths: “Don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
That commentary surprised China experts because the People’s Daily, which often signals official positions with subtly codified language, uses that phrase sparingly: It famously appeared before China launched border attacks against India in 1962 and Vietnam in 1979.
The Department of Defence is now seeking new federal funds to boost domestic producers of rare earths and wean the US off its dependence on China, Reuters reported Thursday.
Article source: https://www.smh.com.au/world/south-america/brazil-s-jair-bolsonaro-confident-of-poll-win-20181029-p50cjv.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_world
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