Under the current complex and changeable international strategic pattern, rare earth elements have become the key materials for a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, especially in the high-tech field and the national defense industry. As the world's largest producer of rare earths, China's influence on the rare earth market should not be underestimated. For a long time, the world's over-reliance on rare earths in China has made rare earths one of the focuses of economic and strategic wrestling between China and the United States. As the world's largest consumer of rare earths, the United States has a huge demand for rare earths in the field of defense and high-tech, which makes its dependence on China on rare earth issues much attention. With the intensification of international strategic confrontation, especially the increasingly fierce game between the United States and China in the fields of science and technology, rare earths, as an important strategic resource, their security and technological control have become an important focus of contention between the two sides.
However, these measures have not achieved the desired effect, and have harmed the United States to some extent, including cost pressures on businesses, declining consumer welfare, and reduced job opportunities. In this context, China's decision to include rare earth refining technology in the export ban list has undoubtedly dropped a bombshell in Sino-US relations. The ban on the export of rare earth technology not only demonstrates China's dominance in the field of rare earths, but also serves as a strategic alarm bell for the United States and Western countries. The U.S. response to this was also swift, and immediately gave China a certain degree of concession in terms of policy, showing concern about China's strong position in the field of rare earths.
This series of actions is aimed at forcing China to make concessions in intellectual property protection, technology transfer and market access to reduce its surplus with the United States and promote the competitiveness of the United States' high-tech industries. However, these measures have triggered fierce friction between China and the United States, which has had a profound impact on both countries and the global economy. With Biden taking office, the United States has shown a certain continuity in its strategy toward China, maintaining a policy of imposing tariffs on about $300 billion of Chinese goods. Although the U.S. has imposed tariff exclusions on some goods, these exemptions are not permanent and need to be reviewed and discussed periodically. Against this backdrop, the United States and China have held several rounds of discussions around the extension of the tariff exclusion period.
China stressed that the United States should respect the rules and rulings of world organizations, correct violations, and jointly uphold the multilateral system. China's strategic realignment culminated in the announcement that rare earth refining technology had been added to the export ban list. This is not only a response to past U.S. actions, but also a demonstration of China's assertiveness and determination in key technologies and resource control on the global stage. China's decision, considering the widespread use of rare earth elements in the manufacture of high-tech products such as smartphones, computers, electric vehicles, wind turbines and military equipment, has had an immediate impact on the global ** chain. U.S. companies that do not have access to essential rare earths or related technologies could face shortages or rising costs, which is a huge challenge for U.S. manufacturing and defense industries.
China's decision to ban the export of rare earth technology marks a firmer and clearer stance on China's efforts to safeguard its own interests and control strategic resources. Through this decision, China has not only protected its own economic development and environmental resources, but also demonstrated its influence in the global ** chain.
In fact, this incident has also provided profound inspiration for the international community. In today's globalized world, international cooperation and competition coexist, and the formulation and implementation of a strategy with win-win cooperation as the core is crucial to maintaining global economic stability and promoting common development. No country should use strategic resources as a tool for unilateral pressure, but should jointly promote global scientific and technological progress and economic prosperity through mutual respect, fair trade and genuine cooperation. Only in this way can we achieve lasting peace and common prosperity in a complex and volatile international environment.