During his recent Asia tour, US President Donald Trump signed a series of agreements with Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia to secure access to rare earth minerals, a sector long dominated by China. These deals, varying in scope and detail, aim to diversify the US supply chain for these critical materials, essential for advanced manufacturing in industries ranging from electric vehicles to smartphones. While the tangible impact of these agreements remains uncertain, they represent a strategic move to reduce reliance on China ahead of Trump’s high-stakes meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump is signing rare earths deals ahead of talks with China’s Xi- will they help?
