New rare earth mines are being built in eastern Myanmar under the protection of an armed militia. China is using the mining areas in Shan State to secure its supply of strategically important raw materials – despite ongoing unrest in the region.
By Amelie Richter
Chinese export controls on rare earths are causing problems for companies and politicians. The German Ministry of Economic Affairs has urged companies to become more involved in raw materials activities.
By Marcel Grzanna
The USA has stepped up the pressure on Iran – and once again targeted trade with China. Over 20 companies are believed to have been involved in a network that supplied Iranian oil to China on a large scale. Washington has now responded with targeted sanctions.
By Amelie Richter
First a dispute, now a deal: The US and Ukraine have agreed on a joint reconstruction fund. Washington is apparently to receive preferential access to raw materials projects. A conflict of interest with the EU is also emerging.
By Viktor Funk
The US has imposed new sanctions against Iran, targeting a Chinese "tea pot" refinery for the first time. These independent refineries play a key role in importing Iranian oil, which Washington criticizes as a source of funding for Tehran.
By Amelie Richter
The government of Niger has expelled three Chinese oil executives – a drastic step in a dispute over unequal wages. The dispute revolved around foreign employees receiving high salaries while local workers earned significantly less.
By Amelie Richter
A targeted economic policy strategy is needed to secure Europe's sovereignty in the long term, write Hanna Hottenrott and Achim Wambach from ZEW in today's Opinion. The EU must strengthen its own innovative power, reduce strategic dependencies on raw materials and build more resilient supply chains.
By Experts Table.Briefings
Aid organizations demand the halt of two projects in Tanzania that are intended to sequester carbon in the soil. They point to negative consequences for the Maasai ethnic group. Volkswagen is involved in one of the projects.
By Caspar Dohmen
There had been a fierce dispute over the agreement in recent days because Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had initially refused to sign it. The media are now reporting that an agreement has been reached.
By Redaktion Table
With Chinese support, Tanzania and Burundi are building a 282-kilometer railroad line to transport metals such as nickel to the port of Dar es Salaam.
By Fabian Peltsch
