China to stop selling rare earths to Boeing...dual use

Well under the dual-use doctrine, China will ban all rare earths, even for carmakers in the USA if this goes ahead. And any USA entity going into weapons manufacturing for the Trump administration will face the same treatment. China has no fear of losing the USA market, as it is serious about decoupling. Why keep up the link to afford the USA opportunities to target China with sanctions and tariffs. Moreover, trade between USA and China is shrinking year after year. China's priority is now on the Global South market.

Having said that, Boeing is also a major weapons manufacturer, but China has not banned its supply of rare earth elements to the company out of global necessity and their reliance on its planes. When a push becomes a shove, China must not play soft-hearted when its National Security is at risk.

After all, Boeing is not the only source for China and others to get their planes. China is itself making planes for its domestic consumption already, apart from some countries also buying them. Now, even Russia is rising in the commercial jet business. China and Russia have the advantage of their control of raw materials for making them, from rare earth elements to steel, aluminum and tungsten. Even engines are now domestically produced by and in China, while Russia is well known in that field.

In aviation, Russia is no way inferior to the USA or the West. Russia lost out probably in the funding sector, but the Russian economy is progressing. Despite its smaller economy, Russia is still the second or third military power in the world, despite its relatively smaller economy. This is more a case of more bang for the buck in military spending, just like China. The massive military spending by the USA is all sucked up by corruption through the ranks, with military contractors ripping off the Pentagon, selling toilet seats to them at US$10,000 a piece as reported. What a joke!


Anonymous