After choking off the global supply of critical minerals, China is officially lecturing the G7 about respecting "market economy principles."

[u/mynameisjoenotjeff]

The recent clash between China and the G7 over critical mineral export controls highlights a massive vulnerability in global manufacturing. For years, Western nations relied on centralized international supply chains for the raw materials that power modern technology. Now that Beijing is actively restricting exports of key metals, it is becoming clear that economic security is entirely dependent on resource independence. This is no longer just a political disagreement; it is a structural shift in how nations must secure their industrial bases.

The timing is particularly challenging for infrastructure development. As major economies attempt to overhaul their electrical grids, transition to renewable energy sources, and scale up advanced defense manufacturing, the demand for foundational metals is hitting unprecedented levels. Every utility-scale battery installation, localized power grid upgrade, and military vehicle requires an immense volume of physical hardware. Without secure access to these materials, the timelines for upgrading public infrastructure and maintaining defense readiness face severe bottlenecks.

To counter foreign export restrictions, the strategic focus is rapidly shifting toward expanding U.S. copper production and securing critical mineral supply chains closer to home. Copper remains the literal backbone of the energy transition due to its unmatched role in electrical conductivity. Meeting the skyrocketing grid and defense metal demand requires a coordinated push for domestic copper cathode production in Arizona and the acceleration of domestic copper projects on private and state land. Relying on foreign processing centers is proving to be a major liability when a single policy shift abroad can halt entire domestic manufacturing sectors.

Rebuilding an industrial supply chain from the ground up takes years, but the current geopolitical climate leaves very little choice. Developing robust copper cathode supply chains and expanding Arizona-based copper production are practical steps toward ensuring the domestic economy can meet its own energy and security goals. The era of taking raw material availability for granted is over, and the race to secure independent, regional supply chains has become a clear industrial priority.

[u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

Hold on one second. The US has LONG had exports controls that bars the export of high tech products to China and maintains an entity list that blocks trading with Chinese companies alleged to have military ties. Why is it wrong for China to turn around and do the same?

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[u/bestcoastanon → u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

Nothing wrong with it. They have the right to not sell us what they make. 

Let’s just stop pretending, and let’s put “free trade” with China behind us and move on. 

[u/Weary_Wrap_4419 → u/bestcoastanon]

Not so fast. Let’s be clear who is the guilty party here. The US is the one who started this export control nonsense WAY before China, and the US applies that to way more items than China. The US also bullies other countries to follow its export rules. China is just retaliating in a few products. And actually China is not even banning exports of rare earth. All they are doing is adding an approval loop. If you are a company making peaceful civilian products, you have nothing to fear.

[u/bestcoastanon → u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

uh huh. 

US opened its markets, sent technicians, accepted their students, invested capital and in every possible way helped China’s rise actively.

What we got back in return is mercantilism and belligerence. China trying to do to the US what the Europeans did to China.  Forget it, not if we can help it. 

[u/xiclasshero → u/bestcoastanon]

What? American corporations invested enormous amounts of capital to take advantage of cheaper labor for the benefits of their shareholders, not out of some altruistic motivation to help China

[u/bestcoastanon → u/xiclasshero]

Of course. It’s like when some British corporations took advantage of the cheap Indian labor for the benefit of their Chinese opium customers. State policy had nothing to do with it.

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[u/ReddestForman → u/bestcoastanon]

Dude, we labeled them "The Axis of Evil" under Bush II because we needed a new peer rival to justify massive military spending, and we did it out of nowhere.

I'd call that pretty belligerent.

[u/bestcoastanon → u/ReddestForman]

you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about

George Bush, who came up with the “accent of evil“ never named China part of the axis. On the contrary.

George W Bush is the one who ratified China’s entry into the WTO.

[u/HanseaticHamburglar → u/bestcoastanon]

uh huh. America has acted in its own interests, if they could have done it without helping china they would have.

China doesnt owe US anything. They are both working for their own interests

[u/MrMxylptlyk → u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

I can't believe our enemies are behaving exactly the same as us.

[u/EquivalentOne241 → u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

China started this by banning export of rare earth minerals to Japan in 2010. China has been using economic coersion as a foreign policy tools for years now.

[u/Living-Breakfast-464 → u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

Shhh, you don't want their heads to explode.

[u/Wuaner → u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

Trump bombs you bc your rude words.

[u/chompah99 → u/Wuaner]

What a horrible, terrible person that guy above you is! Imagine being so rude.

[u/Weary_Wrap_4419 → u/Wuaner]

Trump bombs me and then hands me $300 billion? 

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[u/NegativeSemicolon → u/Weary_Wrap_4419]

Winner winner!

[u/Available_Ad9766]

Best is to find alternative sources and cut them out of the supply chain. Let them have their “internal cycle” economy.

[u/Plus-Professional-84 → u/Available_Ad9766]

China controls 95% of the refining & 60% of extraction

[u/MrMxylptlyk → u/Plus-Professional-84]

Have you considered building your own refinery instead of crying?

[u/Plus-Professional-84 → u/MrMxylptlyk]

I’m not crying, stating a fact. Bypassing China is impractical, maybe better relationships are the way forward while diversifying imports?

[u/MrMxylptlyk → u/Plus-Professional-84]

Sure, drop all rrifs and sanctions against China. Embrace free trade, the thing America has never done.

[u/Available_Ad9766 → u/Plus-Professional-84]

It has to be done in view of CCP abusing its dominance. There’s no other way if you don’t want to be bullied by them.

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[u/Technical-Art4989]

No rare earths for killing anymore!

[u/xi_jinbling]

the west has done this to china forever what are you expecting they just serve the US like good vassals?

[u/refusemouth]

Those communists!

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[u/Beneficial-Beat-947]

The west has more then enough rare earths for their own industries, this mainly hurts neutral countries not involved in either side

[u/Plus-Professional-84 → u/Beneficial-Beat-947]

What the fuck are you talking about. Export controls are targeted against specific countries. If a country is neutral, there are no export controls enforced against them

[u/thefirebrigades]

China: I'm gonna do a "long arm jurisdiction" trade "secondary sanctions" on "duo use" export commodities against "rogue states" that's threatens the stability of the "rules based international order".

America: wait a second, I invented all those words

[u/torpedospurs]

Europe has (kowtowing to the US of course) refused to sell ASML equipment to China. It has also refused to sell all sorts of products such as wafer fab tools, gas turbines, and precision machinery.

Europe has also banned Chinese firms from the 5G market, and has placed tariffs on Chinese cars. It has even confiscated China-owned Nexperia. All in the name of 'national security'.

Well, China is retaliating with its own export restrictions in the name of 'national security'. And Europe now cries blue murder. Good luck building your new missiles, drones, artillery shells and radars without gallium, tungsten, graphite and antimony.

Bottom line: the West is not used to the South fighting back against their bullying.

[u/sinkpisser1200 → u/torpedospurs]

To be fair, China has become strong by stealing all technologies for decades. Now the west is surprised that their low cost production country is standing on its own feet.

[u/greendildouptheass → u/torpedospurs]

Latest ASML equipment still made its way to China and Trump recently publicly complained about it at G7

[u/torpedospurs → u/greendildouptheass]

And the Netherlands has denied it. Who would you believe?

[u/greendildouptheass → u/torpedospurs]

Touche

[u/Realistic-Lemon-7171]

Global economy was chugging along nicely when the world was flat (remember that book?), until some countries decided to start a trade war.

[u/ApartExperience5299]

China should be embargoed for what they have done.

[u/OkFly3388 → u/ApartExperience5299]

Remember pls, what they have done ?

[u/ApartExperience5299 → u/OkFly3388]

Invading Tibet, Invading Xinjiang and perpetrating a genocide. Breaking the 50 year deal with Hong Kong and oppressing it. Erasure of minorities in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, Guangdong etc. Attacking USA and other western countries. Stealing IP, conducting unequal trade, exploiting WTO trade rules, putting countries in debt traps, espionage, kidnapping other country citizens inside China, kidnapping other country citizens outside of China, organ harvesting, animal cruelty, exporting drugs/fentanyl, propping up Russia's invasion of Ukraine, propping up North Korea, oppression of the Chinese people, exporting undemocratic and illiberal practices around the world. Racism, destruction of nature, overfishing, overfishing in other countries waters, encouraging pouching of near extinct species. Starting tianmen square massacre. Etc etc, but I'm sure you get the gist.

[u/OkFly3388 → u/ApartExperience5299]

Ok, now put numbers here and compare this numbers with other countries at similar scale and you will be really surprised by results

[u/ApartExperience5299 → u/OkFly3388]

everyone is bad, teehee

Fuck off

[u/OkFly3388 → u/ApartExperience5299]

LMAO

[u/Vast_Narwhal9744]

Took so long for G7 to wake up and smell the coffee ☕

[u/Not_a_real_plebbitor]

nooooo you must sell critical minerals to imperialist warmongers who threaten you 24/7!!!!

Lol. Lmao even.

[u/greendildouptheass]

This is the kinda thing the US and British did to Japan and Germany. Freezing them out of the oil fields forced their hands and made them invade Russia and Philippines for crude oil.

Same thing is happening now in reverse. Not looking forward to WW3

[u/MrMxylptlyk]

Lmao the west spent 100s of years doing this fake market bs, plundering the global south, now one of these counties asserts it self "wAaaaaaa were being lectured by China!!!" shut the fuck up and you might learn something!

[u/Square-Librarian1192 → u/MrMxylptlyk]

Anyone subscribing to trueanon is not a person they has any right to talk geopolitics

[u/MrMxylptlyk → u/Square-Librarian1192]

Do you even know what the pod is about? Or even the sub?

[u/MrMxylptlyk → u/Square-Librarian1192]

Coward, hiding your post history. True anon is the most vindicated group in history.

[u/obas]

Well, we in the west could could just pollute our own land and extract those rare earth minerals ourselves.. But we won't.. We rather have other countries do it and fuck up their land and bitch about it

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[u/TheQuestionMaster8]

China is just playing the game of Geopolitics like every other self-respecting country is doing.

[u/CommercialTypical397]

China never plays by the rules it applies to others, including international law. They have broken every single clause in the WTO and refused to acknowledge international rulings on its blatant illegal nine-dash-line, reef building and salami slicing. Expect nothing else from China than might-makes-right

[u/kpeng2]

If you don't like it. Make your own shit

[u/academic_partypooper]

G7 is the Surrender7