China is ready to use rare earths to strike back in a trade war with the United States, Chinese newspapers warned on Wednesday in strongly worded commentaries on a move that would escalate tensions between the world's two largest economies.

President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week had sparked speculation that China would use its dominant position as an exporter of rare earths to the United States as leverage in the trade war.

Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. The prospect that their value could soar as a result of the trade war caused sharp increases in the share prices of producers, including the company visited by Xi.

While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen.

In a commentary headlined "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back", the official People's Daily noted the United States' "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China.

"Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said.

"Undoubtedly, the U.S. side wants to use the products made by China's exported rare earths to counter and suppress China's development. The Chinese people will never accept this!" the ruling Communist Party newspaper added.

"We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!"

The expression "don't say we didn't warn you" is generally only used by official Chinese media to warn rivals over major areas of disagreement, for example during a border dispute with India in 2017 and in 1978 before China invaded Vietnam.

In its own editorial on Wednesday, sister paper the Global Times said an export ban on rare earths "is a powerful weapon if used in the China-U.S. trade war."

"Nevertheless, China will mainly use it for defense," it added, noting that while China might incur losses from a ban on exports, the United States would suffer more.

The paper's editor had said on Twitter late on Tuesday that Beijing was "seriously considering" restricting rare earth exports to the United States.

China has used rare earth sales to exert pressure in past diplomatic disputes.

In 2010, Beijing cut rare earth export quotas after a Chinese trawler collided with two Japan Coast Guard ships near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that both countries claim.

In 2012, Japan, the United States and European Union complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the restrictions. Two years later, China was rebuked by the WTO for citing environmental reasons to justify the quotas. It ultimately scrapped its export quota system after losing the case.

Chinese trade experts say if Beijing moves forward with new restrictions on rare earth exports to the United States, it will likely follow Washington's example and use national security as a justification.

China has repeatedly criticized Washington for what it says are abuses of national security exceptions at the WTO, including this week when, according to media reports, it accused the United States of breaking rules by blacklisting Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecom network gear maker.

China accounted for 80% of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 by the United States, which has excluded them from recent tariffs along with some other critical Chinese minerals.

https://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKCN1SZ07V

war

FTC


These guys should fight already...ahh

All I know be say.. last last...na africa all man go dey come dey go because when WWIII happens...Africa would be the only secure place


Virtually no western country like eachother.

SIRTee15:
China is ready to use rare earths to strike back in a trade war with the United States, Chinese newspapers warned on Wednesday in strongly worded commentaries on a move that would escalate tensions between the world's two largest economies.

President Xi Jinping's visit to a rare earths plant last week had sparked speculation that China would use its dominant position as an exporter of rare earths to the United States as leverage in the trade war.

Rare earths are a group of 17 chemical elements used in everything from high-tech consumer electronics to military equipment. The prospect that their value could soar as a result of the trade war caused sharp increases in the share prices of producers, including the company visited by Xi.

While China has so far not explicitly said it would restrict rare earths sales to the United States, Chinese media has strongly implied this will happen.

In a commentary headlined "United States, don't underestimate China's ability to strike back", the official People's Daily noted the United States' "uncomfortable" dependence on rare earths from China.

"Will rare earths become a counter weapon for China to hit back against the pressure the United States has put on for no reason at all? The answer is no mystery," it said.

"Undoubtedly, the U.S. side wants to use the products made by China's exported rare earths to counter and suppress China's development. The Chinese people will never accept this!" the ruling Communist Party newspaper added.

"We advise the U.S. side not to underestimate the Chinese side's ability to safeguard its development rights and interests. Don't say we didn't warn you!"

The expression "don't say we didn't warn you" is generally only used by official Chinese media to warn rivals over major areas of disagreement, for example during a border dispute with India in 2017 and in 1978 before China invaded Vietnam.

In its own editorial on Wednesday, sister paper the Global Times said an export ban on rare earths "is a powerful weapon if used in the China-U.S. trade war."

"Nevertheless, China will mainly use it for defense," it added, noting that while China might incur losses from a ban on exports, the United States would suffer more.

The paper's editor had said on Twitter late on Tuesday that Beijing was "seriously considering" restricting rare earth exports to the United States.

China has used rare earth sales to exert pressure in past diplomatic disputes.

In 2010, Beijing cut rare earth export quotas after a Chinese trawler collided with two Japan Coast Guard ships near uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that both countries claim.

In 2012, Japan, the United States and European Union complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the restrictions. Two years later, China was rebuked by the WTO for citing environmental reasons to justify the quotas. It ultimately scrapped its export quota system after losing the case.

Chinese trade experts say if Beijing moves forward with new restrictions on rare earth exports to the United States, it will likely follow Washington's example and use national security as a justification.

China has repeatedly criticized Washington for what it says are abuses of national security exceptions at the WTO, including this week when, according to media reports, it accused the United States of breaking rules by blacklisting Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's largest telecom network gear maker.

China accounted for 80% of rare earth imports between 2014 and 2017 by the United States, which has excluded them from recent tariffs along with some other critical Chinese minerals.

https://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKCN1SZ07V

State controlled newspapers that won’t publicize the effect of the trade war or China economy and its citizens, how customers are pulling money from a large Chinese bank, I still pity China though, fight back and US will still cripple your market in Europe and even some countries in Asia

Shaprara:


State controlled newspapers that won’t publicize the effect of the trade war or China economy and its citizens, how customers are pulling money from a large Chinese bank, I still pity China though, fight back and US will still cripple your market in Europe and even some countries in Asia

How will US cripple china's market in Europe when trump is fighting China alone. Just like the Iranian nuclear deal which Trump arrogantly feels he can fight alone, without traditional allies, it cannot succeed.

The trade war would hurt China, but it will hurt the US also.

wirinet:

How will US cripple china's market in Europe when trump is fighting China alone. Just like the Iranian nuclear deal which Trump arrogantly feels he can fight alone, without traditional allies, it cannot succeed.

The trade war would hurt China, but it will hurt the US also.

Just so you know, the trade war between the two countries is not a US fight alone, the genesis of it was as a result of concerns raised by European countries too especially the US allies in europe, US can cripple China market in europe just like it crippling Iranian oil and gas sales in Europe making Saudi Arabia number one in the gulf, the nuclear deal was a pact reached between US and Iran to stop the production of nuclear weapons which in return the US gives Iran some economic waiver with some funds, you should check the latest statement of former Iran foreign minister of how much they received and how much the got from the Obama admin in suitcases, Iran didn’t keep to her own end of the deal, So the US pulled out of the deal with high sanctions placed on Iran, iran economy is bad as we speak but it won’t televised, the protests and all won’t be shown on tv as well, US can win all war the wall, but when it comes to diplomatic wars and physical battle the US always have the best odds.

Shaprara:


Just so you know, the trade war between the two countries is not a US fight alone, the genesis of it was as a result of concerns raised by European countries too especially the US allies in europe, US can cripple China market in europe just like it crippling Iranian oil and gas sales in Europe making Saudi Arabia number one in the gulf, the nuclear deal was a pact reached between US and Iran to stop the production of nuclear weapons which in return the US gives Iran some economic waiver with some funds, you should check the latest statement of former Iran foreign minister of how much they received and how much the got from the Obama admin in suitcases, Iran didn’t keep to her own end of the deal, So the US pulled out of the deal with high sanctions placed on Iran, iran economy is bad as we speak but it won’t televised, the protests and all won’t be shown on tv as well, US can win all war the wall, but when it comes to diplomatic wars and physical battle the US always have the best odds.

I don't know where you get your news from, maybe fox news, but most of it is wrong. First, the nuclear deal was not just between the US and Iran, but between Iran, European allies, US, Russia and China. Only the US unilaterally pulled out. The US is trying to force European countries to pull out, but they have not. Even Britain, US closest European ally did not pull out. The trump administration has been trying to sanction companies doing business with Iran, but European governments have been finding ways to bypass the sanctions.
The money that Obama gave back to Iran was not US money, but monies siezed by the US in the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian revolution.

The US is fighting it alone in its trade war with China. Have you heard any other US traditional ally imposing tariffs on Chinese goods? Yes, European countries had been complaining to the US of intellectual property theft and understanding ethical trade practices by the Chinese government for decades, but when Trump decided to act he did not consult anyone, he just acted alone.

How many wars has the US won alone? Without its traditional allies any foreign war the US embarks on will be too costly and too prolonged.

Pls does Nigeria have lithium, iridium and other rare metals?

I hope not because the search for such is what created the Congo and Rwnada wars. These world powers stop at nothing.

Ykktulip:

Pls does Nigeria have lithium, iridium and other rare metals?

I hope not because the search for such is what created the Congo and Rwnada wars. These world powers stop at nothing.

I honestly feel we have lots of rare earth metals, but the lure of crude has prevented us from looting into any other natural resources.