Vekasi pens article for East Asia Forum about China’s rare earth metal consolidation
Kristin Vekasi, associate professor of political science and School of Policy and International Affairs, wrote an article for East Asia Forum addressing concerns about Chinese rare earth consolidation in the form of a “megafirm” announced in January 2022 called China Rare Earth Group, control up to 70% of Chinese rare earth production, 30–40 percent of global supply. Vekasi writes, “OECD countries should be diversifying even in the absence of geopolitical competition. Diversification and resilient supply chains are necessary to keep up with the growing green economy and to match the demands of the proposed ‘Green New Deal’ policies. Policymakers should view this merger as a nudge towards meeting the challenge of a green energy future.”