Why is Donald Trump so interested in rare earth minerals?

Since coming backmost to the White House earlier this year, President Donald Trump has made uncommon world minerals 1 of his apical priorities.

He’s focused connected securing capable proviso for the United States economy.

In March, Trump went arsenic acold arsenic signing an enforcement order, wherever helium invoked wartime powers to summation the accumulation of uncommon earths.

And this week, helium signed respective agreements with a fig of Asian countries, successful the hopes of gaining entree to the minerals.

This is each to antagonistic China’s planetary dominance successful this assemblage and Beijing’s caller restrictions connected uncommon world exports.

So, wherefore are these minerals truthful important for the US economy? And tin Trump interruption China’s monopoly?

Presenter: Bernard Smith

Guests:

Brian Wong – Assistant Professor successful Philosophy astatine the University of Hong Kong.

Gracelin Baskaran – Mining Economist and Director of the Critical Minerals Security programme astatine Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Huiyao Wang – President and Founder of Center for China and Globalization.