All is fair in love and war. When it comes to the Chinese, they tend to be a bit more lethal when it comes to getting what they want. This has been proven on more than one occasion, and can be seen after unearthing 40,000,000 of something valuable in the desert. While the discovery was not made in the U.S., it has set off a silent conflict that has been building for decades. These two mighty nations have proven their power and might as they continue to contend for the global top spot, but at what cost?
China and the U.S.: A complicated relationship
There is no other relationship like the one between China and the U.S. It is highly complicated and varied. As the years have gone by, the two nations have cooperated and competed, with the latter occurring more often than not. Both are strong advocates of mitigating climate change and have proven their dedication to achieving zero carbon emissions time and again. But even this common interest has resulted in competition.
According to the Institute of Politics, Harvard Kennedy School, China and the U.S. have been competing across various areas for years, such as:
- Military
- China’s military buildup and self-assuredness are viewed as a challenge by the U.S.
- Technology
- Competition in upcoming technologies such as AI, biotech, and quantum computing is severe
- Economic
- Both nations have made ‘strategic’ moves to boost their economies and undermine the other
Now that something viewed as extremely valuable to both has been unearthed under the desert, the silent conflict between the two will most likely intensify.
40,000,000 tonnes unearthed under the desert
We live in a highly advanced technological era, comprising smartphones, computers, and speakers, for example. These everyday electronics require certain elements for their production, and these elements are also vital for defense systems, such as fighter jets. According to npr.org, while these elements are somewhat prevalent and mined worldwide, China has nearly monopolized their refinement.
Now, estimates have indicated a reserve of more than 40,000,000 tonnes of the valuable elements in the Bayan Obo mine located in the Inner Mongolia region of China. As per reports by NS Energy, this mine reportedly has more than 80% of China’s net reserve. What are these sought-after elements? The very reason why Trump wants to blow up the ocean, namely rare earths.
This particular mine is responsible for over 40% of the world’s total known rare earth reserves, as well as half of the global rare earth generation. In 2019, China produced 210,000 tonnes of the rare earths, and the U.S. only 26,000 tonnes.
A silent conflict dating back decades
The U.S. was the rare earth industry leader for the majority of the second half of the 20th century. In the 1960s, after China realized the value of rare earths, Chinese executives visited the California Mountain Pass to “listen and learn.” China then enhanced the technology and took advantage of its affordable electricity, slowly growing in the industry by mainly servicing the domestic demand.
Fast forward to the present, and China has gained a “supply chain chokehold” and has been silently in conflict with the U.S. ever since. Recently, China has also implemented a licensing system for foreign companies, which caused rare earth exports to drop.
While competitions in general can get heated, respect and ethics must never be forgotten, no matter what. As this silent conflict continues to rage on between China and the U.S., we cannot help but wonder how it will affect the rest of the world in the long run. The U.S. has already been affected by the unexpected consequences of Trump’s tariffs, and other nations have been affected by the sanctions. Hopefully, tensions will become less soon. If not, the world could be in trouble.
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