Rare Earths
Politics
How the EU is trapped in a status quo that rewards China
Europe finds itself at an impasse in its relations with China. Fundamentally, China holds more of the cards, and this does not change even with recent escalating events like the US-Israeli war on Iran. French researcher Mathieu Duchâtel gives his assessment.
Mathieu Duchâtel
Technology
[Video] Why China’s thorium breakthrough is a win for China’s energy security
Thorium is now emerging as a potential game changer for China’s nuclear energy advancement and energy security, after the country’s world-first breakthrough of converting thorium into uranium fuel in a molten salt reactor. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina explains.
Yi Jina
Economy
Malaysia becomes a lynchpin in US-led effort to break China’s grip on rare earths
Within the US-led rare earth alliance, Malaysia has emerged as a crucial processing and manufacturing hub, strategically positioned to help build a supply chain outside of China. But it remains to be seen if China’s dominance in this field can be easily broken.
Caixin Global
Politics
Will China play the rare earths card on Japan?
Amid rising tensions over Tokyo’s “Taiwan contingency” statement, China could turn to rare earths — essential for hi-tech industries — as a powerful lever. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Sim Tze Wei investigates the odds of Beijing playing this card.
Sim Tze Wei
Economy
Green fortress: How China is forging the energy security of the future against the US
From Gobi desert solar farms to coastal nuclear reactors, China is quietly building the energy grid of the future. Self-sufficient, AI-ready and strategically insulated, it is turning climate goals into a “green fortress” the US struggles to match, says academic Hao Nan.
Hao Nan
Politics
Malaysia-US rare earths deal: Gold or poison?
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim certainly has his hands full after being accused of selling out Malaysian interests by signing an MOU on critical minerals with the US. How will Anwar balance both domestic criticism and his desire to develop Malaysia’s rare earths industry? Malaysian writer Anthony Chong tells us more.
Anthony Chong Lip Teck
Politics
How China saw through America’s bottom line in the trade war
Borrowing Mao’s logic of protracted struggle, China has shifted from defence to stalemate — countering US pressure with rare earth leverage and strategic patience — and in the process, uncovering the limits of America’s economic coercion. Commentator Deng Yuwen examines this subtle shift in power balance.
Deng Yuwen
Politics
Busan summit: Trump, Xi and America’s fight to stay on top
The Busan summit eased trade tensions but solved little. Behind the smiles, Washington still faces its defining challenge — how to contain China without conceding America’s global leadership. Professor Robert S. Ross analyses what the Busan summit tells us about US–China rivalry.
Robert S. Ross
Technology
China’s thorium breakthrough could power ships for ten years on a single charge
China’s recent breakthrough in converting thorium to uranium could potentially free it from reliance on imported uranium. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan takes a look at the advantages of thorium as a nuclear fuel and how it could change China’s position in the global energy landscape.
Yu Zeyuan
Politics
Xi-Trump meeting: Has China won?
The long-awaited Xi–Trump meeting in Busan ended with smiles but few deals. Yet beneath the calm surface, China may have quietly emerged stronger — ready to play the long game in a shifting global order. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong gives her take.
Han Yong Hong
Economy
[Big read] Can ASEAN build its own battery future in a world powered by China?
As US–China competition reshapes global supply chains, batteries have become the next frontier of geopolitical power. With China dominating production, can ASEAN chart an independent course — or will it remain plugged into Beijing’s grid? Lianhe Zaobao journalist Thomas Li Tao speaks to academics and experts on the implications for ASEAN.
Thomas Li Tao