China may strike a blow to the US defense industry by restricting the export of metals, which play an important role in the production of fighter jets. This is reported by the Financial Times, citing sources involved in the consultations of the government and industry representatives.
According to the publication, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China has proposed a draft of measures to control the production and export of 17 rare earth metals. The agency's website emphasizes that rare earth metals are a non-renewable and therefore strategically important resource.
"American arms manufacturers may be among the first companies to be subject to export restrictions," said Zhang Rui, an analyst at Antaike, a Beijing — based consulting firm.
It should be noted that many states currently depend on the PRC for the extraction of a number of rare earth elements needed in the military industry. According to Sentral News Agency, after processing, rare earth metals can be used in metallurgy, petrochemicals, glass ceramics and in advanced technological fields such as computers, medicine, optoelectronics and electric vehicles, as well as aerospace technologies. Rare earth metals may become a strategic trump card for China.
According to the US Congressional Research Group, one US F-35 fighter uses 417 kg of rare earth metals. At the same time, China accounts for about 80% of the supply of these metals, Eadaily comments.