中国为何不阻拦？巴铁总理赴美签字，卖稀土矿给美国续命

Core Viewpoint - Pakistan's Prime Minister Sharif and Army Chief Munir recently visited the U.S. and signed a memorandum of cooperation, focusing on establishing multi-metal refining facilities in Pakistan to enhance the processing and export of minerals like copper, gold, tungsten, and rare earth elements [1] Economic Context - Pakistan is facing long-term fiscal pressures, heavy external debt, and insufficient foreign exchange reserves. Attracting foreign investment in mineral resources could potentially generate foreign exchange income and alleviate the debt burden [1] - The cooperation with the U.S. is seen as a strategy to diversify Pakistan's economic partnerships and foreign investment sources, reducing reliance on a single country [4] U.S.-Pakistan Cooperation - The agreement primarily revolves around the extraction and rough processing of rare earth materials rather than advanced processing, which does not pose an immediate threat to China's dominance in the rare earth sector [7] - The U.S. is actively seeking to expand its rare earth supply chain globally, including partnerships in Australia, Northern Europe, and Africa, indicating a broader strategy rather than a focused effort on Pakistan alone [9] China's Position - China maintains a dominant position in the rare earth sector due to its technological advantages, controlling approximately 90% of global rare earth magnet manufacturing. This technological edge is crucial as the extraction and processing of rare earths are complex and require advanced separation techniques [4] - Even if Pakistan and the U.S. begin cooperation in rare earth mining, the actual development may still be handed over to China due to potential funding and technical challenges faced by the U.S. [4][5] Implementation Challenges - The transition from cooperation intentions to actual execution is often lengthy and uncertain, with estimates suggesting that establishing a U.S. rare earth industry chain could take over a decade, during which geopolitical dynamics may shift [9]