Row Over Rare Earth Metals

{
  "authors": [
    "Yukon Huang"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "asia",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "AP",
  "programs": [
    "Asia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "East Asia",
    "China"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Economy",
    "Trade",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

In The Media

Row Over Rare Earth Metals

Rare earth metals are vital ingredients in a wide range of high tech product lines important to global trade and China's perceived monopoly on these metals is a big concern for the West.

By Yukon Huang

Published on Mar 13, 2012

Source: BBC News

Rare earth metals are vital ingredients in a wide range of high tech product lines important to global trade. Speaking on BBC News, Carnegie's Yukon Huang explained that China's monopoly on these metals is a big concern for the West. At least in theory, the United States, the EU, and Japan have legitimate grounds to file a case against China at the WTO because China has levied export quotas in such a way that prices for Chinese producers are lower than prices for foreign producers, Huang said.

Huang explained that China only has one third of global reserves of these minerals; the bulk lies in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Several years ago, China warned that growth in the extraction of rare earth metals would not be sufficient to meet global demand so quotas would have to be levied. Over the last two to three years, Huang concluded, western producers have faced a dwindling supply that is not sufficient to meet their needs.

About the Author

Yukon Huang

Senior Fellow, Asia Program

Huang is a senior fellow in the Carnegie Asia Program where his research focuses on China’s economy and its regional and global impact.

Recent Work

Commentary
Three Takeaways From the Biden-Xi Meeting
- Yukon Huang, Isaac B. Kardon, Matt Sheehan
Commentary
Europe Narrowly Navigates De-risking Between Washington and Beijing
- Yukon Huang, Genevieve Slosberg

Political Reform Economy Trade Foreign Policy North America United States East Asia China

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Paper
Egypt’s Military Landlord Economy and its Limitations
The armed forces champion a form of capitalism that is generating revenue, but its reliance on rent faces diminishing returns, leaving the country with massive sunk costs and deferred returns, deepening dependency on external borrowing.
Yezid Sayigh
Article
From Hormuz to the Maghreb: The Geopolitical Reach of a Gulf Crisis
Morocco and Algeria, each in its own way, are having to navigate the global economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Yasmine Zarhloule
Commentary
Diwan
New Syria, Old Lebanon: Absence of the State
Any move by the United States to make good on Trump’s suggestion that Washington persuade Damascus to confront Hezbollah militarily would have catastrophic consequences.
Kheder Khaddour
Commentary
Diwan
Lebanon Should Try to Place Hezbollah on the U.S.-Iran Table
As talks begin between Washington and Tehran, Beirut has an opening to advance a regional plan for the party’s disarmament.
Michael Young
Commentary
Diwan
Board Up Donald Trump’s Failed Board of Peace
What is behind Marco Rubio’s announcement that the body is now an international nongovernmental organization?
Zaha Hassan

More Work from Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

Paper

Egypt’s Military Landlord Economy and its Limitations

The armed forces champion a form of capitalism that is generating revenue, but its reliance on rent faces diminishing returns, leaving the country with massive sunk costs and deferred returns, deepening dependency on external borrowing.

Yezid Sayigh

Article

From Hormuz to the Maghreb: The Geopolitical Reach of a Gulf Crisis

Morocco and Algeria, each in its own way, are having to navigate the global economic fallout of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

Yasmine Zarhloule

Commentary

Diwan

New Syria, Old Lebanon: Absence of the State

Any move by the United States to make good on Trump’s suggestion that Washington persuade Damascus to confront Hezbollah militarily would have catastrophic consequences.