In recent years, China has strengthened the management and restrictions on the export of rare earths. Countries such as Japan, the United States and so on, which have been enjoying cheap rare earth imports, are naturally extremely dissatisfied and put pressure on China on different occasions. However, the exploitation, production and export of rare earths in China have reached a critical point.
Chao Ning, director of the Industrial Products Division of the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China, warned earlier that China's status as a rare earth country was in jeopardy. He pointed out that China is not the only country with rare earths in the world, but in the past few decades, China has played a role in supplying the world. From 1996 to 2009, the rare earth reserves in China decreased by 37%. According to the current production speed, the medium and heavy rare earth reserves can only be maintained for 15 to 20 years. China is constantly paying, while the United States, Japan and other countries are storing imported rare earths for later use.
The data show that in 2009, the rare earth reserves in the United States reached 130,000 tons, accounting for 13% of the world's total reserves, and the output was zero; Japan's annual import of rare earths is around 30,000 tons, and its output is zero. If China does not control the export of rare earths, the United States may replace China as a rare earth power. By then, the price of rare earth will be completely controlled by others.
First of all, I don't think China has handled this very well. Rare earth is an important resource for future wars, and it is needed in missiles. China has a vast territory and rich resources, so the quantity of rare earths is relatively large and the price is relatively expensive! First, it can promote the economy and economic exchanges with other countries. However, from my own point of view, I don't want China to sell rare earths! Because this is an important strategic resource in the future!
But why does China want to sell rare earths abroad? China does not have good refining technology and purification ability in the field of rare earths, and also lacks high-end product research and development ability and application technology. Low-end applications are our fatal flaw in losing pricing power.
At present, there are more than 5,000 effective patents related to rare earth application technology in the world, but most of the core patents belong to Europe, America and Japan. On the one hand, they use China's rare earths cheaply, on the other hand, they set up technology transfer barriers in China. The application of rare earth resources in China is at a very low stage.
Therefore, at present, the only way is to improve the product research and development ability and application technology while exporting rare earth resources.