Rubio warns against China's grip on critical minerals
Washington, June 3
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that China's dominance of global critical mineral supply chains poses a growing threat to economic and national security, saying the United States is expanding partnerships worldwide to reduce dependence on Beijing for resources vital to advanced technologies, defence systems and industrial production.
Speaking before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs, Rubio said the concentration of critical minerals and processing capacity in a single country had become a major strategic vulnerability not only for the United States but also for allies across Europe and Asia.
"It is not healthy for the global economy and frankly, it is dangerous for national security and the security of the world to depend on any single country for 90 per cent of anything that's critical to your industrial base, your defence base, your technology base," Rubio told lawmakers.
The remarks came as the Trump administration continues to place critical minerals at the centre of its economic and foreign policy agenda amid intensifying competition with China.
Critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements and graphite, are essential for electric vehicles, semiconductors, batteries, telecommunications equipment, renewable energy technologies and advanced military systems.
Rubio said Washington is working with dozens of countries to diversify supply chains and build alternative sources of both raw materials and processing capacity.
"We had three dozen or more countries attend the Critical Minerals Ministerial," he said, describing the issue as a priority across the diplomatic network.
According to Rubio, critical minerals have become "a key component of our diplomacy" and are now a focus at virtually every US embassy around the world.
He argued that excessive dependence on a single supplier leaves countries vulnerable to economic coercion during crises.
"We simply have a hyper concentration of whether it's critical minerals or you could add pharmaceuticals to that concentrated in the hands of one country," Rubio said. "It leaves us dangerously dependent."
The Secretary said the administration's strategy extends beyond securing access to raw materials and includes developing global processing capabilities needed to convert minerals into products used by industry and defence manufacturers.
Representative John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce dependence on Chinese-controlled resources.
The top American diplomat linked the minerals issue to broader concerns about strategic competition with Beijing. US diplomats are increasingly working with governments around the world to identify vulnerabilities and develop alternative partnerships that can reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains, he said.
Rubio said similar concerns apply to pharmaceuticals and other sectors where production has become heavily concentrated in China, creating risks for global markets and national security.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see Marco Rubio and the US government taking this seriously. China's monopoly on processing is a real problem, even for Western allies. Diversifying supply chains is common sense. India should join these ministerial meetings more actively.
While I agree with reducing over-dependence, it's ironic that the same countries that outsourced their manufacturing to China for decades are now crying foul. India should learn from this and not put all eggs in one basket for any sector. We need to build our own processing capabilities. 🔧
This is a strategic wake-up call. India's own exploration of rare earths in places like Odisha and Kerala should get a boost. We have the resources but lack processing tech. China has a 20-year head start - we need serious investment and joint ventures with Japan and South Korea.
Rubio's linking this to pharmaceuticals is interesting. India is also a major pharma supplier globally. If China can weaponize rare earths, they could try with APIs too. Diversification isn't just good policy, it's survival for many industries.
Respectfully, I think this is overblown. China has been a reliable supplier for decades. This 'dangerous dependence' narrative is often used to justify protectionism and military spending. Trade interdependence reduces conflict risk. But yes, some diversification makes sense for resilience.
R We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.