October 22, 2025

How to Escape China’s Rare-Earth Chokehold

By: Liza Tobin

This article was originally published in The Wall Street Journal.

Your editorial is right that countering China’s weaponization of rare-earth supply chains requires technological breakthroughs and allied coordination (“Allies United Against China on Rare Earths,” Oct. 17). Yet whereas you consider President Trump’s tariffs to be obstacles, we see them as tools. Offering targeted relief to nations that erect barriers to Chinese exports and join a U.S.-led coalition can help thwart Beijing’s rare-earths power grab.

During his first administration, Mr. Trump defied economic orthodoxy by imposing tariffs on China, recognizing U.S. market access as a powerful source of leverage. President Biden accepted this strategy by keeping the tariffs in place and raising them higher. This term Mr. Trump is taking the approach global, using tariffs to press countries and corporations for such concessions as lower trade barriers and investment commitments.

Now is the time to double down, using the levies to reduce allied dependence on China.

Now is the time to double down, using the levies to reduce allied dependence on China. The emerging pattern is tiered: steep tariffs on China, moderate rates on Southeast Asian transshipment hubs, lower tariffs for democratic allies like Japan, South Korea and the European Union and the lowest for our neighbors, Canada and Mexico.

Such an approach recognizes that markets alone can’t counter China’s holding supply chains hostage. Allied governments must shoulder some risk. As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week, “When you are facing a nonmarket economy like China, then you have to exercise industrial policy.” Providing tariff relief to countries that join our moonshot effort can help pool investment and create an integrated market for end products.

Read the full article on The Wall Street Journal.

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