WASHINGTON: The US, Japan, India and Australia pledged on Tuesday (Jul 2) to work collectively to make sure a secure provide of vital minerals, as worries develop over China’s dominance in assets important to new applied sciences.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed his counterparts from the so-called “Quad” to Washington in a shift of focus to Asia, after spending a lot of his first six months on the wars in Ukraine and the Center East and on President Donald Trump’s home priorities akin to migration.
The 4 nations mentioned in a joint assertion that they have been establishing the Quad Crucial Minerals Initiative, aimed toward “collaborating on securing and diversifying” provide chains.
They supplied little element however made clear the purpose was to cut back reliance on China, which has used restrictions as leverage as the US in flip curbs its entry to semiconductors and as Trump threatens steep tariffs – together with on Quad nations.
“Reliance on anybody nation for processing and refining vital minerals and spinoff items manufacturing exposes our industries to financial coercion, worth manipulation and provide chain disruptions,” the assertion mentioned.
The ministers have been cautious to not point out China by title however voiced “severe issues relating to harmful and provocative actions” within the South China Sea and East China Sea that “threaten peace and stability within the area”.
China holds main reserves of a number of key minerals, together with the overwhelming majority of the world’s graphite, which is essential for electrical autos.
Briefly remarks alongside the opposite ministers, Rubio mentioned he has “personally been very centered” on diversifying provide chains and needed “actual progress”.
