U.S.-China collaboration is key to stopping conflict. The aff just accelerates competition and conflict.

To counter China’s dominance in critical mineral supply chains, the US and its allies have adopted a two-pronged strategy – seeking to bolster cooperation among themselves to facilitate increased mining efforts while simultaneously expediting the construction of processing units.

Through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, the US has formed minilateral alliances in the Indo-Pacific. In March last year, a group of US senators introduced the Quad Critical Minerals Partnership Act while Australia, India and Japan formed the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative. Then in July, Australia and India launched a Critical Minerals Investment Partnership. In a similar vein, Japan and India as well as South Korea and Australia have established separate collaborations.

Beyond the Quad, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity championed by the White House has prioritised the securing of access to critical minerals to counterbalance China’s dominance. The Biden administration has also initiated the Minerals Security Partnership, a comprehensive multilateral endeavour to strengthen critical mineral supply chains through strategic partnerships.

Such US-led initiatives invariably collide with China’s interests in securing mineral resources for its own industrial advancement.

Beijing has not pursued a dedicated alliance for critical mineral supply chains but it is aware of its own dependence on mineral imports and security vulnerabilities. Natural resources minister Wang Guanghua recently said the country was launching a new round of domestic strategic mineral mining operations while investing in efforts to bolster reserves to enhance long-term security.

While the US and its allies seek to diversify supply chains and reduce their reliance on China, Beijing remains determined to protect its interests and maintain its dominance. The inevitable result is a new area of US-China tensions and as the battle for control over the critical mineral supply chains unfolds, expect bouts of intense global politicking.