China has placed export restrictions on various rare earth minerals as part of its response to United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Reuters reported Friday.

• The restricted elements are dysprosium, terbium, tungsten, indium and yttrium—all vitally important components of manufacturing various kinds of electronics and weapons.

In control: China controls much of the world’s mining and production of many essential rare earth minerals, largely as a result of government subsidies that make it difficult for non-Chinese companies to compete. This near monopoly allows China to retaliate against, antagonize and coerce other nations according to its interests.

• China accounts for some 90 percent of the world’s processed rare earth minerals.

Crippled: Though America has been working in recent years to develop its own rare earth mining and refining, particularly through USA Rare Earth, at present it remains dangerously dependent on China. The U.S. economy and society cannot function without these crucial ingredients. America’s high-tech military would eventually be crippled without access to them.

Tensions between the U.S. and China are worsening, and this trade warfare has ominous implications.

In his article “China Dominates Global Rare Earth Supply,” the Trumpet’s Andrew Miiller wrote:

If the American people truly understood the implications of being resource-dependent on hostile foreign nations like China, they would turn back to God—who gave America its blessings.

Learn more: Request a free copy of our booklet Great Again.