中国稀土新规，让西方炸锅？这招“软刀子”真的绝

Group 1 - China's sudden requirement for export licenses for heavy rare earths led to a 74% drop in rare earth magnet exports in May, causing significant concern among U.S. military and renewable energy companies [1][3] - The Chinese government has strategically opened a green channel for the EU and granted temporary licenses to U.S. car manufacturers, indicating a nuanced approach to international relations [1][3] - The policy shift is seen as a response to previous WTO rulings against China's quota system, now framed under national security and non-proliferation, allowing for more flexible control over exports [3][5] Group 2 - The U.S. and its allies, including Japan and Australia, are reacting strongly, with the Pentagon discussing "decoupling" from China and Australian companies seeing stock price surges [5][7] - Rebuilding supply chains is expected to take at least five years, during which China may further solidify its position in the rare earth market [5][7] - The current situation highlights a broader geopolitical strategy where China uses rare earths as leverage against U.S. defense industries, with implications for future regulations in biomedicine and lithium batteries [5][7] Group 3 - The U.S. faces a dilemma: imposing similar controls could harm domestic companies, while negotiating could undermine political standing ahead of midterm elections [7] - The EU is proactively working on the Critical Raw Materials Act to mitigate risks while benefiting from China's green channel [7] - The situation serves as a lesson in modern economic warfare, emphasizing the importance of using export licenses to adjust supply chains rather than outright bans [7]