China Has Special Access to Rare Earths — From Myanmar
Allowing warlords to funnel critical minerals straight to Beijing is not in the world’s interest.
Myanmar's supply of rare earths ends up in China.
Source: AFP/Getty Images
When China announced that it would increase restrictions on the export of rare earths or the specialized products that contain them, it obscured an important truth. A significant chunk of its supply chain is sourced from Myanmar, ruled since a 2021 coup by a widely condemned military junta.
The US, along with most of the world, fears Beijing’s control of rare earths, which are vital for tech from batteries to drones. But both the West and India are missing opportunities to stabilize the supply chain — because, unlike China’s leadership, they shy away from dealing with unstable polities.