US defends new minerals alliance, rejecting claims it targets China

A senior US official on Thursday defended Washington’s new critical minerals push, telling the China-morning-post" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="12558" data-entity-type="organization">South China Morning Post that supply chain diversification is a national security measure, not an attempt to form an exclusive bloc as Beijing has claimed.Deputy State Department spokeswoman Mignon Houston, speaking a day after the launch of the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement, or Forge, described the US-led global coordination of strategic minerals as a “prudent step”.She sidestepped claims that Forge was aimed at China, which controls nearly 60 per cent of global critical mineral production and 80 per cent of refining, framing it instead as a response to structural vulnerabilities in increasingly mineral-intensive supply chains.“The focus is truly on diversifying supply chains that will help in the event there’s a disruption, like the pandemic,” Houston said. “These are prudent steps globally … and it’s an important step for national security writ large.”She added that “by virtue of diversifying global supply chains, we are ensuring that we’re not at risk for these disruptions or price coercion”.08:58What are rare earths, and why is China’s dominance facing global pushbackWhat are rare earths, and why is China’s dominance facing global pushbackCritical materials are needed to make everything from defence systems and industrial robotics to washing machines.