US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his counterparts from Australia, India, and Japan to discuss strengthening cooperation with like-minded countries against China within the framework of the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue). This meeting was one of the first diplomatic gatherings since President Donald Trump took office and demonstrated Washington’s renewed focus on Asia.
Rubio did not make any direct military references to China at the Quad meeting, instead emphasizing issues related to the business world and the raw materials supply chain. Rubio highlighted the importance of diversifying the global supply chain for critical minerals, stating, “It’s not just about access to raw materials, but also about processing and making them usable.” He expressed his expectation of “concrete progress” in this area with Quad members. China holds a significant portion of the world’s supply of strategic minerals such as graphite. Beijing’s export restrictions on these minerals, which are critical for electric vehicle production, are countered by the US’s semiconductor embargo on China and Trump’s tariff threats against both friends and foes.
https://japantoday.com/category/politics/shifting-to-asia-rubio-meets-quad-and-talks-minerals
