The months-long US-China trade tensions have reignited global attention on rare earths, the critical minerals that power everything from smartphones to fighter jets. When Beijing used export controls to restrict rare earth supplies to the United States, it pushed Donald Trump to negotiate a truce in Busan, South Korea. But was that truce the end, or just the beginning, of a new phase in great power competition? As the US and its allies race to reduce dependence on China, the battle for control over supply chains is intensifying. How long will it take to diversify rare earth production? What strategies can governments adopt to build economic resilience? And how should companies navigate an era of geoeconomic rivalry? In this episode of All Things Policy, Manoj Kewalramani talks to Pranay Kotasthane about the future of rare earths, strategic competition, and the shifting balance of global power.
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