cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/2904990

Link to the article

The Chinese government has introduced a slew of new measures designed to tighten its grip on lucrative natural resources used in everything from electric cars to wind turbines. In a list released by the country’s State Council on Saturday, Beijing declared that rare earth metals are the property of the state and warned “no organization or person may encroach on or destroy rare-earth resources.” From Oct. 1, when the rules come into force, the government will operate a rare earth traceability database to ensure it can control the extraction, use and export of the metals. China currently produces around 60 percent of the world’s rare earth metals, and is the origin of around 90 percent of refined rare earths on the market. Advertisement

Beijing has already prohibited exports of rare earth refining and magnet manufacturing technologies. In January, it banned the export of gallium and germanium, both highly sought after by the computer-chip industry. Fears that China is looking to exert control over the industry, and could disrupt critical technology, automotive and renewable energy supply chains, have sparked a race to shore up supplies from alternative suppliers. Both the U.S. and the EU have launched efforts to procure rare earths at home and abroad, including in Vietnam, Brazil and Australia. A year ago, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced construction of the first large-scale rare earth refinery outside of Asia, located in Estonia. She said the move would “bolster European resilience and security of supply.”

A 2022 analysis from the European Parliament warned that over-reliance on monopolistic suppliers was a major risk for Europe. “The EU imports 93 percent of its magnesium from China, 98 percent of its borate from Turkey, and 85 percent of its niobium from Brazil. Russia produces 40 percent of the world’s palladium,” it said. “The latter is a reminder of the strategic implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the need for the EU to prepare for an increasingly uncertain world.”

The EU has launched a probe into anti-competitive trading allegations against the Chinese electric vehicle market, which benefits from heavy government subsidies and preferential access to essential rare earth metals. Earlier this month, the two sides agreed they would host consultations in order to try and resolve the standoff.

That last paragraph really is so damning. It is admitting the superiority of China’s central planning and how it is being used to actually improve society. ”But at what cost?”

Well, apparently the cost is that shares of China’s largest rare earth mineral mining firm have gone up 5% since the announcement. China proving socialists right every single day and absolutely crushing the capitalist development speedrun challenge. It’s genuinely hilarious that the development plan of China runs basically like what I’ll describe below, and capitalist nations are just completely incapable of stopping it from happening because the power of capital is greater than the power of their states.

porky-happy “hmmm yes, today I will invest in the Chinese rare earth mineral market. Since China controls 90% of global production and all of the infrastructure is in place, all I have to do is bring my money, tech, and expertise with me and I’ll carve myself some serious profit! Easy money!”

xigma-male “Ahh yes thank you for the help developing our mining industry/technology Mr. Foreign Capital. We appreciate your business and you had a great run, but unfortunately for you we have nationalized your mineral resources. The extractive capitalism will now stop. Feel free to reinvest elsewhere or compete with us on the global market tho :)”

porky-scared-flipped ”China is nationalizing its rare earth minerals, but at what cost? We need to ban China from–“

porky-happy ”Wait omg is that another investment opportunity in China where I can bring in my capital/technology/expertise to make some money? Hell yeah, where do I sign?”

Rinse and repeat

    • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Yes, Lenin also prescribed dictatorship. His mindset was inextricable from the imperialist context he lived in, it limited his ability to imagine further. Which is part if why communism has always failed or collapsed into a fascist state capitalism (like China).

      • OurToothbrush@lemmy.mlM
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        5 months ago

        dictatorship

        Are you referring to “dictatorship of the proletariat”? Because if you read what he wrote, it means “democracy where the former oppressor class is temporarily politically disenfranchised”

        It feels like you’re playing telephone with yourself while trying to get zingers in

        Which is part if why communism has always failed or collapsed into a fascist state capitalism (like China).

        China has better life expectancy than the US when it was a feudal state occupied by Japan 80 years ago, what is your metric for failure lol? China is also leading the renewable push, and has made massive innovations in participatory democracy.

        MODHAT calling communist nations fascist serves to enable holocaust trivialization, doing this again will net you a ban.

        • TheShadow277@slrpnk.net
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          5 months ago

          China is also leading the renewable push, and has made massive innovations in participatory democracy.

          Anywhere I can read about this?

        • retrospectology@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          “Temporarily” has a pretty consistent habit of becoming permanent. It’s either malicious or extremely naive on Lenin’s part to believe that ypu can concentrate power into the hands of a few people and then they’ll just voluntarily give it up.

          Which term is Xi on now at this point again? Oh right, he made himself dictator for life…

          • OurToothbrush@lemmy.mlM
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            5 months ago

            Temporarily” has a pretty consistent habit of becoming permanent. It’s either malicious or extremely naive on Lenin’s part to believe that ypu can concentrate power into the hands of a few people and then they’ll just voluntarily give it up.

            Temporary refers to disenfranchising the former bourgeoisie and nobility, not concentrating power? The USSR had a four tier federated legislative structure with the executive appointed by the legislature.

            Which term is Xi on now at this point again? Oh right, he made himself dictator for life…

            Yeah, and Castro was also dictator for life /s

            I know it is unimaginable to you that leaders can stay popular and maintain a democratic mandate because you live in a bourgeois democracy but come on.

            You know that term limits were invented because FDR was too popular right? They are an antidemocratic measure.

            • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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              5 months ago

              Have realistic elections been happening? If not, what legitimate gauge do we have on xi’s popularity?

                • GBU_28@lemm.ee
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                  5 months ago

                  I am asking, I am ignorant. I’m not JAQ I’m literally asking the question.

                  I have not heard of a minority but competitive party in China, or heard of any leading, but not succeeding candidate that has attempted to run/win.

                  From my western perspective, I’ve only ever heard of loud critical voices in the Chinese political sphere “disappearing” for “education” or similar.

                  I acknowledge my position (western media influenced), but have never heard of a single actual competitor to xi

                  • OurToothbrush@lemmy.mlM
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                    5 months ago

                    Well, socialist countries operate on concensus for major positions- the idea is that the vote is only part of the democratic process, and a large part of democracy lives in creating constructive feedback cycles between the people and the government and between different levels of government where concerns are understood and addressed.

                    If there was a competitor for Xi, it would not be part of the voting process, it would be in discussions amongst electeds for who is best for the role, and then a vote would happen where people approve of or disapprove of their representatives choice.