President Donald Trump is meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House this morning, where the two signed an agreement on Australia’s rare-earth minerals and are discussing trade and the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.
They are still allowed to mine in Australia.
Our enviro nuts are worse than theirs it seems.
“Today’s agreement on critical minerals and rare earths is just taking it to the next level, seizing those opportunities, which are before us,” Albanese said.
The agreement comes as China announced it would impose export controls on rare earth minerals, prompting Trump to threaten to impose an additional 100% tariff on Chinese exports.
Trump said that the two leaders will also discuss trade, submarines and military equipment, referring to the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.
Australia is willing to sell shares in its planned strategic reserve of critical minerals to allies including Britain, Reuters reported last month, as Western governments scramble to end their reliance on China for rare earths and minor metals.
Top U.S. officials last week condemned Beijing’s expansion of rare earth export controls as a threat to global supply chains. China controls 70% of the rare earth minerals.
“The most important thing is for Mr Albanese to establish a cooperative, professional and hopefully warm relationship with the president,” he said.
The United States has a large trade surplus with Australia, which is among the countries with the lowest U.S. tariff.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who held talks with Trump’s economic adviser Kevin Hassett on critical minerals, told reporters in Washington on Friday that Canberra wanted to do more with the United States, while maintaining a stable economic relationship with China.
Australia is in a good place to do that with rare earth minerals.
People are sick of China blackmailing people.
nice