November 02, 2026

Can Pakistan Help Break China’s Critical Minerals Dominance?

By: Derek Grossman

This article was originally published in The National Interest.

China has spent decades building a near-stranglehold on critical mineral supply chains, leaving the United States dangerously dependent on its chief strategic rival. Even President Donald Trump’s recent trade truce with Chinese leader Xi Jinping has done little to resolve the underlying problem: America’s continued dependence on Chinese processing of minerals essential to its economy and national security. But the Trump administration is aggressively challenging Beijing’s dominance across the globe, and over the past year, it has engaged an unlikely partner: Pakistan.

Deeper U.S.-Pakistan cooperation on critical minerals could help Washington chip away at Beijing’s dominance over global supply chains.

To be sure, Pakistan has been an important, if at times complicated, American strategic partner since the Cold War, helping Washington counter Soviet expansionism and, after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, supporting US military operations in Afghanistan. Bilateral ties have seen periods of strain, but Trump’s return to the White House has brought a major reboot. Since then, Trump has met multiple times with senior Pakistani leaders, including Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Most recently, Islamabad has served as a key mediator between the United States and Iran in efforts to end their war, ushering in a remarkable revival in bilateral relations.

Read the full article in The National Interest.

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