China's key role in critical mineral value chains
China today holds a dominant position in critical mineral value chains, from extraction to processing and downstream technologies. Built on decades of industrial policy, this supremacy gives Beijing significant leverage over global supply security, particularly for the European Union.
China has leveraged upstream strengths to enhance downstream competitiveness, yet remains vulnerable due to its heavy reliance on imports of several minerals it considers as strategic. Since 2023, Beijing has introduced export controls on raw materials and technologies, exploiting chokepoints to advance broader geopolitical aims. These measures have heightened European efforts to diversify supply, though success has been hindered by China’s capacity to influence availability, prices, and overseas investments.
> This article is only available in french, and was published in the journal "Réalités Industrielles" of the Annales des Mines, 25 November.
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