The United States, Japan, India, and Australia have announced a critical minerals initiative aimed at reducing reliance on China in this field. The group, known as the “Quad,” is committed to ensuring a stable supply of minerals necessary for new technologies.
Ministers from the Quad nations gathered in Washington D.C., where they agreed that dependence on one country for critical minerals exposes their industries to economic coercion and supply chain risks. During the meeting, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to the other nations as important strategic partners and emphasized the need for concrete actions.
While Beijing’s dominance in the minerals sector was not explicitly mentioned, the joint statement did express concerns over aggressive activities in the South China Sea and East China Sea, which are seen as threatening stability in the region. The Quad members also condemned recent attacks and nuclear launches linked to India and North Korea.
The Quad, which was initially conceived as a group of democracies to counterbalance China’s influence, has diverging views on issues like the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Despite these differences, the group is working together on the critical minerals initiative.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify supply chains, and around 30 to 40 companies from the Quad countries were scheduled to meet to discuss cooperation and supply chain diversification for critical minerals.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/us-japan-india-australia-announce-critical-minerals-initiative/a-73113459?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
