26/06/2025

THURSDAY | JUNE 26, 2025

10

Double-edged power of rare earths

T HE emergence of rare earths as a key issue in the tariff war waged by the United States against China provides peace think-tanks and anti-war lobbies, such as the Swedish International Peace Research Institute, a golden opportunity to strategise it in their campaign to reduce escalating military expenditure and deadly armament proliferation, which the Trump administration is concurrently egging on its allies and, if unchecked, will lead to a less secure world. Often forgotten in the fog of Western media war reporting – visible in the Israeli-Iranian conflict with its focus on rocket and missile launches, casualties and deaths, gains and losses, and victories and defeats – is the metric of resources that enable the wars of today to be waged and sustained with greater intensity and destruction. The critical role of rare earth elements (REE) in advanced weapon systems is now common knowledge. They serve as indispensable components due to their unique magnetic, catalytic and optical properties, and enable the high performance, miniaturisation and precision that define modern military technology today and in the future. Here is a breakdown of how REE is used in advanced weapon systems: 0 As components in high-performance magnets used in guidance and control systems of precision-guided munitions. 0 Found in various military vehicles, fighter aircraft and submarines as motors and actuators. 0 Crucial for the motors, sensors and electronic components in advanced radar. 0 Used in jamming devices, directed energy weapons and other systems that require high magnetic fields and precise energy control. 0 Essential for the small motors and sophisticated sensors in drones and unmanned aerial vehicles prominently at play in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. 0 Used in various military communication systems, ensuring secure and efficient data transmission. In essence, REE is a critical ingredient that allows modern weapon systems to be smaller, lighter, more powerful and more effective. This makes them strategically vital for any nation’s military capabilities and why securing a stable supply chain for these materials has become a top national security priority for many A N O T B Y L I M

countries. REE provides China and supporting countries, including Malaysia, an unprecedented opportunity for advancing peace and deterring militarisation. Potential of REE as a catalyst for peace This is how China’s rare earth dominance can be positively used. 0 Influencing military modernisation: Given that rare earths are crucial for advanced military technologies (missile guidance systems, jet engines, satellite communications), China’s control can be used to influence the pace or nature of military modernisation in other nations. By strategically managing supply, China can signal disapproval and even discourage military buildups and the development of certain destabilising weapons systems. 0 Discouraging proliferation of advanced weaponry: The strict control by China of the sale of rare earths to business enterprises engaged in the armament and weaponry industry can help reduce the war proliferation risk and deter what is a rapidly proliferating trade in advanced weaponry. 0 Targeted export controls for non proliferation: China has asserted that its export controls on rare earth-related items are intended to safeguard national security and fulfil non-proliferation obligations. If consistently enforced, restrictions on the use of REE by countries intending to use them for weapons of mass destruction or destabilising military technologies can become one of China’s most significant and effective contributions to global peace and security. 0 Creating mutual economic interests: The global reliance on Chinese REE for various technologies, including renewable energy and civilian electronics, creates strong economic interdependence. This can act as a disincentive for conflict as any major disruption would harm China and its major trading partners. 0 Leveraging for peace and development: China’s rare earth dominance can be used as a bargaining chip in diplomatic negotiations, particularly in areas of shared global concern like climate change or regional stability. Access to rare earths can also be used to tie the European Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, Indo Pacific countries, QUAD and Aukus countries to commitments on disarmament or non-aggression pacts. 0 Investing in global partnerships for civilian R T A K E G H E E

E

H

China’s rare earth dominance can be used as a bargaining chip

in diplomatic negotiations, particularly in

areas of shared global concern like climate change or regional stability. – REUTERSPIC

T

K

E

C

use: China can proactively engage in partnerships and joint ventures for the civilian application of rare earths, particularly in emerging technologies like electric vehicles and wind turbines. This could build trust and create shared stakes in a stable global rare earth supply chain. Reframing international order In conclusion, while China’s rare earth dominance provides it with significant leverage, using this power to advance peace and deter militarisation would require a highly strategic, transparent and cooperative approach. It would involve building trust, prioritising sustainable development and demonstrating a clear commitment to global stability over unilateral advantage. Without these elements, the potential for rare earth to be a source of tension, competition and more destructive militarisation may well continue. China in the past has utilised its rare earth resources responsibly, adhering to international norms and market principles, to serve peaceful and constructive purposes globally. The Chinese government has implemented comprehensive regulations to ensure the sustainable exploitation and utilisation of rare earths, promoting environmental protection and technological innovation. This approach not only supports global technological advancements but also reflects China’s role as a responsible global power. Now is the time for China to extend its leverage of REE dominance more directly to the cause of peace-building and to use it explicitly as a tool in constructing a less militarised international order.

On our part, we can do more through the controversial Lynas rare earth production in Pahang, which needs to be rigorously reassessed on account of its dual military and civilian use potential. As the biggest non-China producer of separated rare earths, Lynas’s output is strategically significant for global supply chains supporting civilian industries and military systems. Whilst Malaysia, like most countries, has export controls on dual-use goods, the Malaysian government should implement stronger and more transparent control over our rare earths production and exports to ensure compliance with not only international non-proliferation and dual-use control regimes, such as the Wassenaar Arrangement. The government should also consider stricter export controls, more rigorous scrutiny of the parent Australian company’s operations and other measures to ensure that the Lynas production is not diverted for military use and development. Although the complexity of global supply chains makes control over end-use difficult, our policymakers must avoid the chase for foreign investment that brings about a less secure world. The REE production from the Lynas Advanced Material Plant provides an important starting point for us to live up to our international relations rhetoric on war and peace. Lim Teck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com