Baotou, a bustling industrial city in Inner Mongolia, boasts significant Western influence with shopping malls and local eateries. However, its outskirts showcase a stark contrast, dominated by factories spewing smoke. Central to Baotou's significance is its control over most of China's rare earth reserves, essential for modern tech and military applications. This has allowed China to leverage these resources amidst escalating tensions with the US, particularly following export restrictions that impacted global supply chains, notably affecting American manufacturers such as Ford's vehicle production.
"As well as steel and silicon plants, Baotou is home to China's monopoly on rare earths, with more than 80% of the country's reserves located there."
"China appears to be returning in kind by cutting off western manufacturers from critical elements in their supply chain, leveraging rare earths amid the trade war."
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