This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
Published on September 30, 2019, a report in the Globe and Mail newspaper revealed that Canada and the US are drafting plans to reduce their mutual dependence on China for rare earth minerals such as lithium, uranium, cesium, and cobalt.
According to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada has many of the rare earth minerals necessary for modern technology, and the country is a solid ally that can offer a reliable supply of these minerals. Currently, many of these minerals come from China, which controls more than 90 percent of the world's supply.
Trudeau emphasized the importance of having reliable supplies of these minerals for technologies, stating, "It is in Canada's interest to ensure that we have reliable supplies of these important minerals for technologies and it is a conversation that our government is leading on."
"I highlighted that Canada has many of the rare earth minerals that are so necessary for modern technology," Trudeau said in his last meeting with US President Donald Trump. The move comes as the US-China trade war heats up, with Beijing hinting that it could block exports of rare earth metals. China has previously used this tactic, temporarily halting exports to Japan during a territorial dispute in 2010. The situation is further complicated by the unprecedented rift in Canada-China relations following the December 2018 arrest in Vancouver of top Chinese telecom executive Meng Wanzhou of Huawei on a US warrant. Washington wants to put Meng on trial for fraud, while her lawyers dispute the accusations. The case is currently winding its way through Canada's court system, and the tensions have led to China detaining two Canadians, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, accusing them of espionage. China has also blocked billions worth of Canadian agricultural shipments.
