According to reports from the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Western countries are facing an awkward and difficult reality regarding their dependency on China in rare earth matters. Like other nations, the United States and Germany are highly dependent on Chinese rare earth resources, rendering them vulnerable in their trade war with China.

Recently, the commentary in Süddeutsche Zeitung pointed out that China is fully aware of its monopolistic position in the rare earth market and is willing to exploit it. As the U.S. imposes restrictions on rare earth exports from China, domestic companies like Ford are facing severe shortages of raw materials.

Even though China has agreed to resume rare earth supplies, experts warn that this move may not be trustworthy, as China’s decisions can shift due to political factors. This serves as a profound lesson for Europe, demonstrating its vulnerabilities.

For Western nations, unless they achieve self-sufficient capabilities to mine and process rare earths, this dependency status will not change. Indeed, many geopolitical experts had issued warnings regarding this issue long before recent trade frictions escalated, yet the West failed to act in this regard.

The Süddeutsche Zeitung emphasized that failing to resolve dependency issues will lead democratic nations to face greater challenges. There is hope that the current U.S.-China trade conflict can awaken both Europe and America to the importance of a self-sufficient supply chain.