US must end China’s rare earth dominance

America needs to reduce its reliance so that even in peacetime, China cannot wield its monopoly as a trump card to be played whenever the interests of the two nations diverge. 

President Trump started the year with his typical bravado as he engaged in a trade war with China. He is ending the year having largely backed down.

One reason? China has powerful leverage over the United States through rare earths. The country has built an effective monopoly over these metallic elements, which are difficult to mine and process. They are also critical to the U.S. economy and military — used to make magnets essential to a wide range of electronics, including cars, fighter jets, drones, smartphones, computers and M.R.I. machines. 

After Mr. Trump imposed tariffs on China, it retaliated in April with export controls on rare earths that restricted U.S. access, and it tightened those controls in October. Weeks later he folded, sharply reducing his tariffs.

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