US, EU deepen cooperation on critical minerals with eye to broader agreement

The U.S. and the European Union on Friday deepened their coordination on critical minerals as part of a broader push by Western allies to loosen China's grip on materials crucial to advanced manufacturing. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and European Union Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic signed a memorandum of understanding for a partnership on producing and securing critical minerals, with a specific action plan for trade announced separately.



Rubio did not mention China in his remarks, but said the preliminary agreement with Brussels reflected growing awareness among Western allies of the importance of supply chains and critical minerals for their economic success.



China has used its chokehold on the processing of many minerals as geo-economic leverage, at times curbing exports, suppressing prices and undercutting other countries' ability to diversify sources of the materials used to make semiconductors, electric vehicles and advanced weapons.