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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Xi Jinping hits Trump where it hurts - US struggles to build weapons as China blocks rare earth exports
Rare earth metals China vs US: China's restrictions on rare earth metal exports are creating a crisis for the US defense industry, impacting production of critical military equipment. American defense firms are facing shortages and delays, with some tapping into emergency reserves. Experts warn that this dependence on China gives Beijing leverage in trade negotiations. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads China Cuts Off Critical Minerals, Crippling US Defense Manufacturing US Defense Firms Tap Emergency Reserves Amid Mineral Shortage Small Defense Firms Face Delays Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Experts Warn the US Is Playing Catch-Up Pentagon Scrambles to Secure Domestic Mineral Supply Rare Earths Are Now a Tool of Global Power FAQs The race for global military dominance has taken a sharp turn, as China's tightening grip on rare earth metals is creating a crisis for the United States defense industry, as per a report. With Beijing slashing exports of critical materials essential for building fighter jets, drones, missiles, and more, American companies are scrambling to keep up, and experts warn this struggle threatens national security, according to The Telegraph earth metals, vital components used in everything from missile-guidance systems to night vision goggles, have seen prices skyrocket, some by over 60 times, after China restricted their export earlier this year amid ongoing trade tensions between both the countries, as per the report. With China controlling around 90% of the world's supply, it has effectively gained a chokehold on the US defense industrial base, as per The Telegraph report.A spokesman for the China select committee called the situation a 'wake-up call' that 'underscores just how dangerous our current dependencies are," as quoted in the report. The spokesman explained that, 'The United States cannot afford to have defence supply chains at the mercy of the Chinese Communist Party,' adding, 'Congress and the administration must now urgently work together to identify and mitigate these vulnerabilities before they cost American lives,' as quoted in the READ: California, world's 4th largest economy, stumbles as gas prices could spike to $8, refineries shut—what's gone wrong? Assembly lines and labs across the US are feeling the pinch. Bill Lynn, CEO of Leonardo DRS, a major defense contractor, revealed his company has already been forced to dip into emergency reserves of germanium, a rare metal critical to infrared sensors guiding missiles, as per The Telegraph smaller defense firms, especially drone manufacturers, are in an even tougher spot. Unlike larger corporations with stockpiles, many small businesses face looming production halts as delivery delays stretch up to two months due to China's stringent export licensing, according to the report. Some companies have been asked by Chinese suppliers for detailed product blueprints and assurances their materials won't be used militarily, requests many refuse, as per The Telegraph Thompson, the vice-president of global sales for ePropelled, said that 'Of course we are not going to provide the Chinese government with that information,' as quoted in the READ: Pfizer stock soars as earnings smash expectations, and company raises outlook Experts like Michal Sobolick, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, warn the US has 'sleepwalked into this situation' and that China's dominance of the rare metals supply chain will give them the upper hand in trade negotiations over the next few years, as reported by The response, the US Department of Defense has ramped up efforts to revive domestic rare earth mining and processing, according to the report. Earlier this month, it invested $400 million in MP Materials, which runs the largest rare earth mine in the Americas as the company plans to scale its annual magnet manufacturing capacity from 1,000 metric tons in 2025 to 10,000 metric tons over the next decade, as reported by The Telegraph.A defence official told The Telegraph, 'DoD has invested almost $540m to support the domestic and allied rare earth elements (REE)/critical mineral supply chain," adding, 'DoD is looking forward to continue working with companies across the REE supply chain to ensure that DoD, and the nation, have the secure and resilient supply chains necessary to secure national and economic security for generations to come,' as quoted in the Gracelin Baskaran, the director of the critical minerals security programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, explained that, 'Rare earths have become the most powerful geopolitical leverage and they've become the currency of new geopolitical alliances," adding, 'They continue to be a currency to forge alliances and trade agreements at a time when foreign policy and bilateral cooperation are more complicated than they used to be,' as quoted in The Telegraph gain leverage amid trade tensions and limit US military capability development using Chinese-supplied materials, as per The Telegraph critical in weapons systems, like missile guidance, radar, satellites, night vision goggles, and aircraft motors, as per The Telegraph report.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
China could shut US power grid, gas pipelines and electrical networks at will with killswitch, says shocking report
A new cybersecurity report that is very scary has made people very worried about how China could hurt US infrastructure. Experts say that Chinese-made technology could be used from far away to cut off the power grid, water systems, and other important parts of America's infrastructure. As they are worried about a secret "kill switch," lawmakers are asking for quick action to protect the country's important systems. People are worried about national security at ports, power plants, and in homes because investigations have found hidden backdoors and spyware in devices. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program The founder of the software company ConnectWise, Arnie Bellini, has called this the "biggest technological threat to the United States." He says that goods made by Chinese companies, many of which are controlled or subsidized by the Chinese Communist Party, have hidden remote access tools that could let Beijing shut down or spy on important American infrastructure, as per a report by The Daily Express. ALSO READ: Chikungunya virus spreading fast in China - is it reaching pandemic level? Here're causes, symptoms and treatment What could China do to destroy U.S. infrastructure? Live Events Bellini says that the threat doesn't come from missiles or drones, but from devices that are already in use in U.S. ports, electrical grids, and surveillance systems. Bellini said, "It's the fact that we're buying equipment from China." "It's already in our power plants, water systems, and video monitoring networks. You can turn these systems off from far away, just like a light switch. He says that this gives the Chinese government more power than ever before: "The Trojan horse is already here." We did it ourselves, as per a report by The Daily Express. What kinds of devices have secret kill switches? Several Chinese-made products have been found to have security holes. One of the most worrying things is: Unitree Go1 robot dogs were found to have a secret backdoor that lets them connect to Chinese servers. ZPMC cranes can be used in U.S. military ports and can track containers from a distance. ESP32 WiFi chips are used a lot in smart home devices. Hikvision and Dahua cameras are often used in home and business security systems. Transformers and inverters for solar power are important parts of national electric grids. Bellini says that these devices can "call back" to Beijing, which gives them full remote control. Is the U.S. doing anything to stop this? The Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies are starting to crack down. Some ports have already taken down cranes that are suspected of being dangerous, and investigations are going on. The Trump administration, on the other hand, has promised to make tech manufacturing in the U.S. a priority to cut down on reliance on countries that are hostile to the U.S. ALSO READ: 7 insane new features coming to iPhone 17 Pro, and it's launching next month Bellini stressed, "We need a national strategy." "Any camera or transformer made in China could be dangerous. We can't keep America safe with tools made by our enemies. Still, a lot of products keep coming into the U.S. Bellini says that American businesses often stay quiet to avoid controversy, putting cheap imports ahead of national safety. The threat isn't just a thought anymore. It's already here, but you can't see it. FAQs What is China accused of hiding in US technology? Malicious codes and backdoors could bring down critical infrastructure. How do these 'kill switches' affect everyday systems? Yes. Experts warn that power, water, and surveillance systems are all at risk.
News18
10 hours ago
- News18
Teachers, Doctors, Even Retirees: Why China Won't Let Its Public Workers Travel Abroad
Last Updated: A sweeping crackdown is forcing Chinese public employees to surrender passports, seek layered approvals, and avoid foreign contact, even for personal trips A report by The New York Times revealed that China has significantly expanded restrictions on overseas travel for public sector employees. These rules now apply not only to senior government officials, but also to frontline teachers, hospital workers, civil servants, and even retirees. The new policies require many public employees to surrender their passports to their employers and obtain formal approval for any foreign trip, including personal travel. In several cities, foreign vacations have been banned entirely. Employees across sectors have described receiving internal communications warning them that failure to comply could lead to disciplinary action or even dismissal. In one documented case, a literature teacher at a public school in southern China found a clause in her employment contract stating that unauthorised foreign travel could result in termination. The controls are not limited to teachers. A nurse interviewed by NYT said she would need four levels of administrative approval to obtain permission to travel abroad. Retired government employees in some cities are being told they must wait as long as two years before they can reclaim their passports. Who Is Being Affected By The Travel Ban? Shanghai is one of the only exceptions where such applicants are still permitted to apply. But even there, candidates with a spouse or close relative living abroad may be deemed ineligible for law enforcement roles. In addition to passport controls, employees in some areas have been instructed to avoid speaking with foreign media while overseas, and to report any contact with foreign organisations, particularly those labelled 'anti-China forces", to Chinese embassies. In some institutions, workers have been ordered to disclose all past international travel, in some cases dating back to 2018. Why Is China Cracking Down On Public Workers' Travel? The travel restrictions are part of a wider shift under Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has steadily expanded the Chinese Communist Party's control over not just policy, but the everyday behaviour and thinking of public employees. Beijing has offered three main justifications for the new rules: national security, political discipline, and cost control. The national security angle has gained prominence in recent years as China's relations with the West have deteriorated. The government has warned of increasing risks from 'hostile foreign forces" — a term often used to describe Western governments, NGOs, and media outlets that Beijing sees as attempting to interfere in Chinese domestic affairs. In 2023, China's Ministry of State Security publicly accused a Chinese national in Italy of spying for the CIA. Around the same time, Beijing passed amendments to its counter-espionage law, broadening the definition of spying and effectively giving authorities more power to monitor foreign interactions. But the crackdown is also about ideological control. Xi has repeatedly stressed the importance of political loyalty within the civil service. In July 2025, the People's Daily, the Communist Party's flagship newspaper, declared that 'people-to-people diplomacy exists because of the Party and must be led by the Party." The statement underlined a growing fear in Beijing that unsupervised contact with the outside world, even for a teacher or a nurse, might lead to ideological drift or unapproved narratives about China. The third reason is fiscal discipline. In May 2023, the Chinese government issued orders to cut 'wasteful and unnecessary" spending. According to a report by Firstpost, Official notices singled out travel, alcohol, receptions, flowers, and office luxuries. Senior Party leaders, including Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi, urged cadres to stop 'extravagant eating and drinking." The Party's long-running anti-corruption campaign has now been expanded to include personal travel by public employees, even if those trips are self-funded. By limiting exposure to foreign countries and cultures, the leadership hopes to insulate its officials from ideas or influences that might challenge the Party line, even indirectly. For Xi, it's about ensuring that every government employee, no matter how junior, stays tightly aligned with the official narrative, at home and abroad. How Are These Rules Being Enforced Across China? The implementation of the policy has varied by province and department, but the trend is clear: mobility is being tightly monitored and increasingly restricted. Public employees are being asked to submit written requests for travel abroad, provide detailed justifications, and seek clearance from multiple levels of management. In many cities, passport surrender is mandatory and indefinite. Some institutions have introduced formal questionnaires requiring workers to disclose whether any relatives hold foreign citizenship or permanent residency abroad. In certain local governments, employees are required to undergo ideological education or security briefings before travel is approved. Applicants to government jobs are facing stricter vetting as well. Individuals with any history of foreign education or professional experience overseas are being screened out during recruitment, especially in provinces outside Shanghai. In some regions, even short-term academic exposure to foreign countries has become a disqualifier. Has China Done This Before? This is not the first time China has placed foreign travel under scrutiny. In October 2023, Reuters reported that civil servants and state-linked enterprise employees were facing tighter constraints on personal overseas travel. The restrictions included bans on foreign trips, shorter allowable durations abroad, and more complex approval processes. Some workers were allowed to travel only once per year, and only for up to 12 days. Others had to attend pre-departure confidentiality training. Public announcements by government entities such as the national pension fund confirmed the tightening of travel rules. In some cities, employees were also asked to submit details of foreign relatives and previous international trips. The Reuters report described a growing push by Chinese authorities to monitor the foreign ties of its workforce and track any exposure to overseas influence, particularly as China's relations with Western countries grew more strained. top videos View all How Are Workers Responding To The Clampdown? There has been no visible public pushback, but discontent is simmering. Workers interviewed by NYT described feeling trapped and confused, especially given the contradiction between China's public push for foreign investment and tourism, and the internal message that its own citizens, particularly public employees, must stay put. About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Chinese government public sector Xi Jinping view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 05, 2025, 11:34 IST News explainers Teachers, Doctors, Even Retirees: Why China Won't Let Its Public Workers Travel Abroad Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
