Japan wants China to continue to be refused sale of rare earth

"The Middle East has oil , China has rare earths. "This is the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping said in 1992 sentence. However , the rare precious than oil , but failed to China in exchange for considerable wealth . Touches Japan , the United States and other countries with large rare earth resources by buying cheap Chinese rare earths , establish a " hidden " strategic reserve. It is said that Japan 's rare earth deposits in the seabed available for their use at least 20 years . Japan wants China to continue the recent sale of rare earth is rejected, can be described as a setback in Japan arrogance.

When China began last disorderly exploitation of rare earth resources for reflection and decision to limit exports of rare earths , Europe and Japan, but not dry. On the high-level economic dialogue has just ended, Japan has repeatedly asked China to expand exports of rare earth. Such illogical requirements, China has to be a clear rebuff .

Japan's high-profile pressure on China

The so-called rare earths , referring to the periodic table of lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd) , a total of 17 kinds of rare elements. RE can be widely used in hybrid cars , mobile phones, superconductors , and precision-guided weapons and other high-tech fields , and thus has a "21st -century gold " in the world .

Since 2007 , China began to implement a mandatory plan for rare earth production and begin to reduce exports of rare earths . This year, the Commerce Department issued a rare earth export quotas for 2009 plummeted more than 40 %. It is reported that China 's rare earth export quotas next year will continue to shrink. China 's rare earth export restriction measures , provoked strong reactions United States and Europe and other Western world. Last June, the U.S. and EU appeals WTO restrictions on Chinese exports of strategic rare earth and other materials . Recently, Japan has also joined the ranks of high-profile pressure on China .

METI declared in mid- August , since China announced in July this year to reduce exports of rare earth since some of the rare earth elements market prices have risen by 20 %. Japanese media also agreed that China 's rare earth limit sell orders, and the consequent rise in prices , so many Japanese Companies " nervous ." On the high-level economic dialogue held in Beijing last week , Japan is perseverance mentioned on several occasions to the Chinese rare earth issues , requiring China to relax restrictions on exports of rare earths , said the sudden decrease in exports of rare earths is " the impact of global production chain . "

For intensive pressure on the Japanese side , the Chinese government to be a rational and effective response. Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming during high-level economic dialogue on the media explained that China is not only for the rare earth export restrictions , but to the mining , production, trade restrictions throughout the chain , such an approach is in line with WTO rules .

Chen also stressed that restrictions on exports of rare earths is for both to promote economic growth while protecting the environment and national security considerations , such as a combination of factors . He admits , " Chinese know that such restrictions on Japanese companies and related industries in China 's influence , but a last resort. "

Reporters noted that the Chinese government against the Japanese side on the issue of rare earth pressure response , as well as the implementation of China 's rare earth strategy recently , Chinese Internet users almost unanimously applauded . Some netizens message said : " this is long overdue , and rare earth export restrictions related to the lifeline of the country ...... ah ! " There are friends, said:" The support of export restrictions , not always what we sell , what is synonymous with cheap goods ! "

Japan reap cheap Chinese rare earth

Analysts believe that Japan's restrictions on Chinese exports of rare earths is so sensitive , in fact, not difficult to understand , because Japan Nearly nine out of rare earths imported from China , is the biggest beneficiary of cheap Chinese rare earth.

China rare earth industry insiders pointed out that Japan is currently the country to achieve the highest value-added use of rare earths in the world for high-tech sectors accounted for more than 90 percent of its rare earth consumption. By import prices from cheap Chinese rare earth materials , processed and then sell high-tech products , the Japanese can earn substantial economic benefits. Because after rare-earth prices are often comparable after processing of gold and diamonds.

As we all know , China is the world's most resource -rich countries of rare earth reserves account for about one-third of the world, but the current production has accounted for 95% of the world. 1990s , China began large-scale mining and export of rare earth in low mining costs (without considering environmental costs ) , the Chinese dominated the world of cheap rare earths market , most of the country and therefore stopped the mining of rare earth.

In rare praseodymium, neodymium , for example, in southern China 's rare earth production cost of about $ 30 per kilogram, while the United States had been archived Mans登帕斯mine production costs up to $ 40 per kilogram. When prices remain at 35-40 U.S. dollars per kilogram , the United States is no need to own the mining of rare earth resources .

Although the Chinese Rare Earth occupies about 95% of the world market , but because of China rare earth enterprises failed to form a scale , the lack of a unified regulatory , disorderly competition and the prevalence of smuggling , resulting in the status of China's " first rare big country" failed to appropriately into the pricing of rare earth. In 1990-2005 , China's export volume of rare although increased nearly 10 times the average price has dropped to half in 1990 when . No wonder users generally lamented , China is selling precious rare "earth " or " cabbage" price.

On the cheap and without restrictions in China to sell rare occasion , Japan and other countries the opportunity to acquire and store a large amount of rare earth . Rare earth resources in Inner Mongolia province in China to one industry estimate , of rare earth resources in Japan have been enough to save four or five or even ten years . In this regard, Chinese media pointed out that 30 years later, the world's largest rare earth origin --- Inner Mongolia Baotou Bayan Obo mine may be no recoverable ; while China has to rely on imports of rare earth development of the electronics industry in Japan , to Shique sitting on ample rare earth resources. It may take several hundred times higher than the current price , imported from abroad, China rare earth when !


Illusion manufactured in developed countries
When the United States and Europe complain that China 's rare earth export restrictions policy , on the grounds that it would make a lot of industries are affected, thus threatening its economy and "national security ." For example , Japan's Mitsui & Company RE department head Yoichi Sato recently told the British "Times" interview, said the tightening of China 's rare earth export industry is facing one of Japan's "invisible tsunami ."

But in fact, the above argument is completely untenable West . First, according to the U.S. energy policy analyst Mark Han Fuli report submitted to Congress on July 28 , last year , China's rare earth reserves account for 36% of world output accounted for 97% of the world ; United States, Russia , Australia's rare earth reserves are accounting for 13 % of the world , 19% and 3.6% , but its production was zero. It seems that in other countries is not without rare earth resources , but is " frozen" Bale.

Second, even if China 's rare earth export restrictions in recent years , but still rare in the world market oversupply . According to Chinese industry authoritative report last year, 94 of the world's rare earth production was 12 million tons, but the world's rare earth consumption of only about 90,000 tons ; expected 2010 output of 13 million tons , an oversupply situation is still difficult to change. Seen in this light , Japan and other countries to limit exports of rare earths concerns about China , mainly worried about the future of China to further tighten the export of rare earth , rare earth prices in the international market will correspondingly increase.

In addition, China in environmental protection and other strategic resources to protect their own grounds , entirely reasonable . In the past two decades crazy exploitation of rare earth resources , China has paid a high environmental price . A typical example is the town of Xingning Ning Zou Tao village in Guangdong province was once a beautiful village , but after years of mining rare , serious water pollution locally a few years ago when the rare earth mine was sealed dust , abandoned farmland , the resident population dropped from 700 people to 100 people.

Development of high-tech is the key

Rare earths are a non-renewable resource , and related to the development of future high-tech and defense technology. In this sense, China 's rare earth strategic matter of national security . Analysts pointed out that China can take advantage of rare earth resources , the key lies in the development of Chinese high-tech industries . Otherwise , even if China 's exports of rare earth resources are not in the country it is difficult to be fully utilized. This is the Chinese Society of Rare Earths , Deputy Secretary-General Zhang Anwen said, " In addition to the development of rare earth rare earth effort ," the true meaning of this sentence.

And Japan will be used more than 90% of rare earth high-tech stark contrast, the Chinese rare earths are used in traditional areas , used less than 50% of the high-tech sectors ; especially in the field of rare earth new materials , China has almost no independent intellectual property rights.

China rare earth industry insight also said that because China is only limited export of rare earth materials , and therefore , more likely to foreign companies to set up factories in mainland China , of rare earth resources, simple processing for export , which is actually disguised so that China 's rare earth export quota is exceeded . Thus, the final loss is still subject to Chinese . Thus, the Chinese want to use and maintain their valuable resources , the key is to develop advanced rare earth processing technologies.


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