It is a top priority for the US government, emphasized US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. What was meant was the diversification of the Rare earth supply chain and other important raw materials. China currently dominates this market. This dependence is not only a potential supply problem, but also a geopolitical weapon. That’s why the USA invited people to a ministerial meeting on Wednesday.
Representatives from a total of 54 countries, including Germany, as well as the European Union met in Washington to discuss possible solutions. At the top of the agenda: investments, price stability and faster implementation of projects. “We recognize that this is a global challenge that needs a global response,” Rubio said during a news conference.
The USA wants to set a good example. It was only on Monday that US President Donald Trump announced that the USA wanted to build up a stockpile of critical raw materials. A total of $12 billion is available for this. The USA also acquired shares in several raw materials companies last year.
A for aluminum to Z for zinc
Of the 60 raw materials that the US government classified as important in 2025 – from aluminum to lithium to zinc – over a dozen are not mined in the USA at all. However, rare earths and other critical raw materials are the building blocks of a modern world, said Trump’s global supply chain advisor David Copley. Without them, modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, precise weapon systems and self-driving cars would not function at all.
At the end of the day, the US signed 11 new bilateral raw materials agreements, with countries such as Argentina, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. In total, Trump concluded 21 such agreements in his second term in office.
Experts say the US government’s attempt to create a global alliance against China is a “step in the right direction.” But as we all know, the “devil is in the details,” explained Abigail Hunter from the organization Safe in conversation with the taz. And it will take a long time to break Chinese dominance. “It’s going to take at least a decade or two, because when you start new mining projects, you typically only get to full production after 10 to 15 years,” said Tom Moerenhout, director of the Critical Materials Initiative at Columbia University in New York.
Germany wants to get involved
State Secretary Florian Hahn from Germany was at the meeting. In a post on Elon Musk’s platform, X, Hahn explained that rare earths and other critical raw materials are essential for both competitiveness and national security. “That’s why I’m at the critical raw materials ministerial meeting with US Secretary of State Rubio, and that’s why Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is in Australia!” the post said.
A key aspect of the debate about raw materials is economic viability. According to experts, more stability is needed for the private sector to follow suit. A lower price limit for individual raw materials is also under discussion. The US advocates for both, but since no framework agreement was presented on Wednesday, there still appear to be differences of opinion on these aspects.
Discussion about further policy measures and partnerships around critical raw materials will take place in a new forum called Forge. “Forge’s goal is to promote collaboration and build a network of partners around the world,” Rubio said.