Rare earth elements aren’t the secret weapon China thinks they are

America’s trade war with China has been quietly escalating for years, but this week it took a turn for the disastrous. Huawei, once the rising star of China’s tech industry, has been cut off from US suppliers, leaving the company effectively stunted. China is likely to respond somehow, but with a multitude of options on the table, many in the tech industry are now considering nightmare scenarios.
Rare earth elements are crucial for high-tech manufacturing
One particularly chaotic op