china

The great covered in the War of Critical Minerals is Tungsten. The US needs it and 83% have it China

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On April 4, just 24 hours after Donald Trump announced the taxes that he was going to apply to the importation of most products from abroad, The administration led by Xi Jinping responded. And he did it with forcefulness. In early December 2024 He chose to prohibit The export of some critical minerals to the US, among which were three essential metals for the chips industry: Gallium, Germanio and Antimony. Shortly after the Chinese government added two more critical metals to its list of export restrictions: the Scandio and the Disposio. These chemical elements are probably less known than metals prohibited by China previously, such as Gallium or Germanio, but are at least as important as the latter because they have a fundamental role in the industries of integrated circuits, telecommunications and the manufacture of storage devices. The ability to put pressure from China had not yet been extinguished. Just ten days later, on April 14, the Administration did not hesitate take another step forward With the purpose of putting in check, in addition to the industries that I just mentioned, those of electric cars, aeronautics and advanced armament. To achieve this, it effectively suspended, in addition to the export of the most valuable rare earths, that of high -power magnets that have a critical role in the industries that I have cited in this same paragraph. Tungsten hunting and capture Tungsten or Wolframium (W) is a relatively scarce metal in the earth’s crust. It is very dense and extremely hard (understanding hardness as its resistance to being scratched), but its most exotic physicochemical property is that it has the second highest melting point of all the chemical elements that we can find in the periodic table only behind the carbon (nothing less than 3,422 ° C). It has a very wide range of applications, but, curiously, from World War II it is much appreciated for its suitability when intervening in the tuning of the armor of some vehicles and in the manufacture of ammunition. In February China announced that I was going to respond to US sanctions by enabling export controls of the strictest tungsten China currently controls 83% of the world’s tungsten, which has placed this country in a very comfortable position that allows it to drastically limit the amount of this metal that reaches rival powers, among which is USA. It is just what you are doing. In February, the Chinese administration announced that I was going to respond to US sanctions and its allies enabling export controls of the strictest tungsten. From that moment on, the price of this mineral has progressively increased to its historical maximum. Today Wolframio is 55% more expensive that in February. Beyond China, the main producers of Tungsten are Vietnam, Russia and some countries in Central Africa and South America. Anyway, Europe, Japan and South Korea are trying to ensure their supply of this metal by implementing political measures that seek to promote local production with the purpose of reducing China’s dependence. The US is even considering the possibility of replenishing its strategic tungsten reserve after selling it for many years. Image | Generated by Xataka with Google Gemini More information | Volt Rush In Xataka | The US will not be able to contain the technological development of China. Experts from the chips industry forecast it

China seeks that each glass facade produces clean energy

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In recent decades, electric self -consumption has grown unstoppable in many countries. First were the roofs covered with photovoltaic panelsThen they arrived The solar balconies. Now, innovation points even higher: converting each glass window into a clean and transparent energy generator. A team of Chinese researchers has just presented a technology that could transform the glazed facades of buildings into invisible solar centrals. A panel that is not a solar panel. The research of the University of Nanjing, Posted in Photonix magazinepresents a transparent, colorless and unidirectional solar concentrator (CUSC). The device is applied directly to the standard glass of a window and allows you to capture sunlight without altering its appearance. How does it work? A simple explanation of the process would be that the window looks the same as always, but the special coating causes part of the sunlight to “slide” to the edges of the glass. There, small solar cells transform that light into electricity. In summary: the window is still transparent, but behaves like a hidden solar panel. From a more technical point. The secret is in some layers of colestric liquid crystals (CLC), which redirect sunlight selectively. The glass maintains a visible transparency of 64.2% and a chromatic reproduction index of 91.3, very similar to that of a normal window. The tests are promising: a prototype of just an inch moved a 10 MW fan under the sun. And the simulations show that a two -meter window could concentrate the light 50 times and reduce by 75% the amount of solar cells necessary, As explained in the investigation. Self -consumption reinvents itself. The rise of these innovations fits the global bipv tendency (Building Integrated Photovoltaics), the integration of photovoltaic into architectural elements. As we have detailed Xatakathere are already solar railings such as the solar system, developed by the Canadian Miterx, which turns balconies into electric generators. Europe will also force all new construction buildings to be zero emissions from 2030. This accelerates the search for solutions that not only produce energy, but also respect urban aesthetics and take advantage of each possible surface. China steps on the accelerator. It is no accident that this innovation arises in China. The country has become the largest World Laboratory of Solar Energy, with a deployment at an unprecedented pace. As we have indicated Xatakaonly in the first quarter of 2025 installed 36 GW of solar energy on roofs, more than Europe in several years. In total, there were 60 GW in just three months, figures that show the magnitude of its bet. With this context, the transparent solar window is not only a laboratory experiment, but one more piece in a national large -scale electrification and decarbonization strategy. While Europe progresses with bureaucratic procedures, China seems determined to cover roofs, balconies and now also facades with technologies that generate clean electricity. Forecasts The Nanjing equipment already works to improve broadband efficiency, optimize polarization control and apply this technology beyond skyscrapers: agricultural greenhouses and transparent solar screens are two of the fields in which its use is raised. “The design of the CUSC is a step forward in the integration of solar technology in the environment built without sacrificing aesthetics,” He has underlined Eurekalert Professor Wei Hucorresponding author of the study. A future of generating facades. The cities of the future could be covered with glass that not only lets the light pass, but also feeds with it. From solar balconies to photovoltaic railings, self -consumption is evolving towards complete integration in urban architecture. The window that does not seem solar panel, but it is, is emerging as one of the most promising innovations to meet the climate challenge: each facade as an invisible solar plant. Image | Freepik and Center for Liquid Crystal and Photony/ Nanjing University Xataka | One of the most arid areas in China is reverde. The reason: a plant with seven million solar panels

We sensed that China and Russia leaders wanted to transcend in history. What we did not imagine was how much

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Possibly, the moment that has most talk in the media during The military parade In China it has not been the Power shown By Beijing, but a conversation that lasted less than a minute among the leaders of China and Russia. “Before, it was rare to reach 70, but today, at 70, one is still a child,” Xi commented. “Reach immortality,” Putin replied. Because eternal “youth” has been a purpose of the president for years. An open micro. What happened was that An open microphone He captured an unexpected conversation between Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin who showed not only his personal concerns, but also how biotechnology crosses the geopolitics. XI commented that in this century it could be possible for humans to live Until 150 years (“It is forecast that, in this century, you can also live up to 150“He said), while Putin, through a translator, spoke of organ transplants as a way towards perpetual youth and even” immortality. “ The scene, broadcast live on Chinese state television, offered an unusual intimate vision of two septuagenarian leaders who have eliminated mandate and maneuverado limits to prolong their permanence in power. An obsession. The Russian president He confirmed later The content of the talk, underlining that medical and surgical advances open the possibility of a much longer life. For years he has converted longevity in political priorityordering your Ministry of Health work in this field and encouraging state projects such as those of Rosatomwhich claims to develop techniques for “Print “human organs In laboratory. Your personal interest in health It is notorious: During the pandemic he imposed strict quarantine who had to meet with him and has promoted constitutional changes that would allow him to continue in power until 2036, when he would be 83 years old. In search of immortality. I counted in a The Times report That, in a context marked by the war in Ukraine and the demographic crisis that hits Russia, an official commission highlighted the priorities of the Kremlin elite: scientists from different institutions had received urgent orders from focus your research In anti -aging therapies, cell regeneration, immune reinforcement and advanced biomedicine, including 3D organ bioimpression. The initiative was Linked to Mikhail Kovalchuk77, nuclear physicist, president of the Kurchátov Institute and intimate friend of Putin, known both for his political influence and his personal obsessions. Kovalchuk also supervises a State Genetics Program in which the president’s eldest daughter, María Vorontsova, endocrinologist of training participates. Personal and political objective. Kovalchuk was described in the report as “crazy” For the idea of ​​eternal life, and it would have been the one who took the project directly to Putin, triggering a waterfall of ministerial orders that demanded immediate results. For some scientists, the mandate touched the absurd, by allocating resources to prolong the life of a septuagenarian elite while hundreds of thousands of young Russians die or are mutilated in the front. A source of the National Medical Center itself He defined it as “pure cynicism”, by prioritizing the rejuvenation of aged leaders on the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. Conspiracy beliefs and esotericism. The background of these initiatives was mixed with the conspiracy vision that Putin and Kovalchuk share. The latter He has affirmed that the West develops biological weapons specifically directed against ethnic Russians and that the United States would have created a “subspecies of servants” with limited self -consciousness. Such ideas are intertwined with practices of Doubtful scientific base: Putin, despite having access to the best health, Supremely submit To bathrooms with bloods of siberian deer horns, a folkloric treatment that in Russia is attributed to rejuvenating and aphrodisiac properties. Pioneers of longevity. Death last year of Vladimir KhavinsonRussian longevity researcher marked the end of an influential figure in the development of rejuvenating drugs allegedly used by Soviet leaders such as Brézhnev. Although there are no solid evidence of its effective They would have appealed to your treatments. Its scientific legacy, halfway between biomedical research and pseudoscience, reflects the ambiguity of Russian policy in this field. The transhumanist dream. Beyond the Kremlin efforts, private figures also drive radical projects: Dmitri ITSKOVRussian billionaire, for years a initiative to transfer Human consciousness to artificial supports in 2035, with the promise of an indefinite life. In neighboring Kazakhstan, former president Nursultán Nazarbáyev claimed in 2010 that his scientists They will decipher the secret of immortality, although at 84 he still awaits the fruits of that effort. Examples that illustrate how the aspiration to prolong life has become a recurring obsession between Postsoviet elites. Chinese ambition. Returning to the meeting that took place yesterday with that audio between both leaders, by XI, remembered the New York Times that until now he had avoided public speaking about longevity in such ambitious terms as Putin, but showed that he shares at least the fascination with an extended life. At 72, he has suppressed the limits of mandate and seeks a fourth period in 2027 without having indicated a successor, which makes his physical and political stability intertwined. His reference at 150 years of life would fit his speech of “Take care of the elderly” and guarantee well -being in old age, although in their public image, visible age signals such as gray hair are already made, in contrast to the tradition of leaders that hide their aging. Historical context. Be that as it may, the moment occurred while both leaders, accompanied by Kim Jong-un, ascended to the Tiananmén Gate Tribune to witness a parade that showed The most advanced arsenal from China (Although not everything). That exhibition of military power, together with the conversation captured Random, it reflects the contrast between the ambition to perpetuate itself in power and the ability to project strength globally. The longevity, both personal and political, thus becomes a shared obsession: prolonging life not only of the leaders, but of the power system they represent. Between the sciencesymbolism and geopolitics, the conversation suggests that both Moscow and Beijing see in the “extension” of life a … Read more

China showed the world an indecent amount of unpublished artillery. But the most advanced weapons remained hidden

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Yesterday We enumerate And we draw the Route of China in the field of military arsenal during the parade that commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan and the end of World War II. As We countthe message was quite clear and forceful, showing a part of the power achieved by the popular liberation army in its accelerated modernization. However, more than one AS was left in the sleeve. The hidden power. Some of those developments that have not already showed them here, others not so muchbut everyone has something in common: they are the most advanced weapons of the nation, hence their concealment in public light. Many of them remain in secret because they are still in the development phase, for their strategic sensitivity or because they cannot be exhibited in an event of these characteristics. What was seen in the Tiananmén Square was just a fraction of the real capacity of the Chinese Armed Forces, which in parallel develop disruptive technologies with deep implications for the future war. Aviation and “the” electromagnetic. We have treated it. China is testing site generation fighters, provisionally known as J-36 and J-50that after their inaugural flights they have continued in the trial phase, and whose level of sophistication remains under strict secrecy. Similarly, prototypes of Riel and coil cannonscapable of intercepting hypersonic and ballistic missiles at low cost, they are too limited in size and are restricted to large ships, making it impossible for their deployment in a terrestrial parade. The reusable space vehicle is also hidden, in Tests since 2020an analogous platform to the American X-37b which can remain months in orbit and meet classified military missions. Furtive hunt J36 What we did not see of naval power. Naval modernization has been central since the last parade of 2019, with the launch of the Fujian aircraft carriersthe construction of Future Type 004and the amphibious assault ships Type 075 and Type 076. To these is added the development of Strategic Submarine Type 096which will reinforce maritime nuclear deterrence in the next decade. None of these platforms can roll through Tiananmén, although some of its weapons and aircraft systems could be shown. Tests with an electromagnetic rail cannon Cyberdefense and Digital War. The PL considers cyberdefense one of the pillars of its national security. Since the creation in 2015 of the Strategic Support Force and, in 2024, of the new Cyberspace ForceChina has centralized intelligence, cyber attack operations and critical infrastructure defense. Although the parade It included winks To these “new forms of combat”, the authentic arsenal of cyber -cyberms and offensive capabilities, what is doubtful, will remain hidden, leaving in the shadow the true magnitude of Chinese digital operations. New furtive combat apparatus in the test phase in China AI and autonomous systems. Artificial intelligence integration is a strategic priority. The Pla Work in algorithms To process real -time combat data, optimize logistics and maintenance, and generate training scenarios. Attack and recognition drones as the GJ-11the Wing Loong and The Rainbow They already incorporate autonomous navigation, recognition of objectives and coordination with other platforms. Although some of these devices will be shown, their algorithmic “brain” will remain invisible to the public. Drone Rainbow prototype Nuclear deterrence. China deployed Intercontinental Balistic missiles and strategic bombers as a gesture of strength, but the true pillars of their nuclear deterrence did not come to light. The command, control and communications systems, designed to resist a first blow, the reinforced silos of the northwest, the vast network of underground tunnels known as known as The “Great Underground Wall” and nuclear submarines armed with ballistic missiles, both the TYPE-094A assets and The future Type-096. South China Sea, where elements of the Great Submarine Wall System are installed Early alert and antimisile defense. China currently has a strategic network that combines infrared alert satellites capable of detecting ballistic releases anywhere in the world and huge fixed matrix radars, capable of tracking missiles and furtive aircraft in full flight. These systems are vital for strategic defense And they have already overcome multiple interception tests since 2010, but their static and highly classified nature keeps them out of the parade. Fujian, the biggest war boat with China’s leading technology The “great underground wall.” As we said before, in parallel, China builds a underwater surveillance system With hydrophones, sensor nodes and autonomous vehicles to monitor enemy submarines in the Eastern and South China Sea. This framework, known as the “Great Underwater Wall”, is essential to guarantee the safety of its nuclear submarine fleet and reinforce its anti -submarine capacity. Its existence is intuited, but its location and operation remain in the strictest secret. And space. With more than 500 satellites military and double useChina is trying to achieve independence in navigation with Beidou, recognition capabilities with the Yaogan series and safe communications for command and control. It also develops antisatellite weapons, from direct ascent missiles tested in 2007 even orbital proximity maneuvers and possible directed energy weapons. None of these systems appeared in the parade, but represent a key vector of their “computerized” war strategy. The industrial force. It We comment yesterday. China’s greatest hidden trick is not only technological but industrial. The ability to produce in its own territory from rifles to aircraft carriers, through reaction engines and hypersonic missiles, ensures independenceresilience and speed of production. The Military-Civil Fusion Strategy allows civil advances in defense, as occurs in aeronautical engines, where the experience of the CJ-1000A Commercial feeds the development of The WS-10 and WS-15 that drive the J-20 furtive fighters. In short, the parade showed the world a Power showcasebut the most lethal and transformer of the Chinese armed forces was hidden. Under the surface, in tunnels, in satellites, in monitored seas and in high -tech factories, there is a framework of capacities that seeks to redefine global military balance in the next decades. Image | Planet Labs Inc, @WZZJWZ, Office of Naval Research (Flickr), X, Infinty 0 , Ministry of National Defense The People’s Republic … Read more

Toledo has proposed to change mass tourism for another “quality”. And it is clear where to look for it: in China

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With the flow of foreign visitors at record levels and the touristry converted into Hot debate themeToledo has proposed to rethink its tourism. The city lasts a ordinance that regulates the sector and He has recognized openly that he wants his flow of travelers to be more compatible with the day -to -day life of his neighbors, enhancing “quality tourism against mass.” Given that challenge, your City Council It is very clear Where you should look: China. That is why he has decided to go to the Asian giant has promoted himself. To the hunt for tourists. Toledo wants more Chinese tourists. And is willing to travel thousands of kilometers to achieve it. The city has just launched a commercial mission Headed by its mayor, Carlos Velázquez, to sell the benefits of the Castillanomanchega town in the Asian market. The delegation, in which local representatives and representatives of the hoteliers and the Toledo business fabric will participate, part today with a clear purpose: “reinforce tourism promotion” in China and (an important nuance) “attract quality tourism.” And what exactly will they do? In The statement In which he reports the campaign, the City Council does not give too many details, but it does advance that it will include “commercial meetings”, aspires to “consolidate” the image of Toledo as “quality tourism destination” and contemplates meetings with representatives of Chinese provinces. The team also wants to start the procedures for The twinning From Toledo with Xi´an, the city of the celebration Terracota warriors. What … and when. The initiative is interesting both for its content and (especially) for its context. After all, it is not any time for Toledo tourism. The City Council expects to approve This same month a New Ordinance which aspires to “make coexistence easier” between visitors and residents of their historic center and above all, In words of Carlos Velázquez himself, “to enhance quality tourism against mass.” That expression (“quality tourism”) is repeated half a dozen in The statement in which the City Council informs of the commercial mission. The New standard which will regulate the tourism of Toledo contemplates the declaration of certain streets of the Historic Center as saturated areas, in which special rules will be applied that facilitate the passage of visitors and neighbors. It also foresees that broad groups (formed by more than 30 people) must use individual audio systems, prohibit the use of megaphones at night and establishes that the guides Free Tours They will not be able to use colored umbrellas to capture customers. Why Chinese tourists? For several reasons. The main (and obvious) is the size of the Chinese market, a country of 1.4 billion of potential visitors. The Toledo Consistory himself remembers that only in the Xi´an metropolitan region, a territory with which he wants Portugal. And although the flow of travelers of the Asian giant is in a way conditioned By the war in Ukraine (the conflict affects aerial connections), Europe remains a Popular destination For the Chinese, whose tourism sector He recovers After the pandemic sake. In fact Toledo is not the only city that seeks to cut its visitors. Others locations and companies Spanish have already traveled to the Asian giant to strengthen ties. Carlos Velázquez himself has shown in other occasions His interest in China as the engine of a “quality tourism.” A figure: 3,150 euros. The Chinese visitor usually highlights for another reason, especially interesting for the tourism industry in its broader spectrum: the portfolio. According to the UNChina leads the ranking of international tourism spending, standing well above the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and France, which complete the ‘Top 5’. And the United Nations is not the only source that points in that direction. In July Visa published A report on expenses of foreign visitors in Spain that places the Chinese in first position. “Each international tourist plans to spend on their trip to Spain up to € 3,150, which reinforces the positive impact of the sector on the national economy. For markets, Chinese tourists lead the average expenditure (€ 3,150), followed by Americans (€ 2,850) and Mexicans (€ 2,435)”, collect the reportwhich recalls that those who visit Spain do it above all for their cultural wealth, their attractiveness as a destination of sun and beach and the desire to know emblematic cities. The authors of the study They slide In addition, another interesting idea: as well as the British who arrive in Spain, they seek especially sun and beach and Mexican cultural experiences, the Chinese especially value purchases. Is there more data? Yes. And show the potential of the Chinese market that now hopes to conquer Toledo. While the flow of visitors to the Asian giant continues to be far from other countries such as the United Kingdom or Germany, The INE shows That last year Spain received just over 640,000 Chinese visitors, still below the 700,700 it reached before the pandemic. As for spending, the INE agrees that the average by Chinese visitor was around last year the € 2,900in front of the 1,300 of the Germans or 1,200 of the English. Statistics does not detail if it includes the value of flights. In any case, your half -day/person is also high: 406in front of the 165 of the Germans. Images | Daniel Velásquez (UNSPLASH), David Stanley (Flickr) and A Tourism (X) In Xataka | In San Juan de Luz they are discovering something: tourists are going from “picnic” to the beach before the prices of the bars

The problem is that almost everything is in the hands of Indonesia and China

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“Making An American Nickel Costs More than to Nickel,” the United States Mint recently admitted. Although the phrase looks like a tongue twenty, what is happening is that manufacturing a five cents – known in English like Nickel – is already more expensive than its own nominal value. And yet the international price of metal has collapsed, According to Financial Times. The nickel lives its most disconcerting moment. It is a key material to make batteries, stainless steel, turbines, missiles and satellites, so demand should have driven prices. However, the offer has expanded so fast that the quotes have sunk. In a report for the Financial Times They have pointed out That the price in the London metal bag (LME) is around $ 15,000 a ton, less than a third of what was reached in 2022. At the same time, production in referent countries, such as Australia or New Caledonia, was strongly reduced. BHP, the Australian giant, announced that it is reviewing the sale of its nickel assets in Western Australia. Even Tsingshan, one of the largest Chinese operators, suspended stainless steel lines to adjust the offer. A new emerging superpower. In this context, Indonesia emerges as a great winner. After prohibiting the export of mineral in 2020, he forced the installation of foundations and attracted billions of Chinese investment. Today controls about 60–65% of global production, According to Bloomberg. In the same medium They have pointed out That the jump is so great that, for the first time in history, Nickel export revenues exceeded those of coal: 16.5 billion dollars compared to 14,400 million in the first semester of 2025. The problems that lurk to the market. The Indonesian domain raises strategic vulnerability for the West, which considers the nickel a critical mineral. The Financial Times Talk about a “Nickel OPEC” Controlled by Yakarta and Beijing. At the same time, western mines become unfeasible: Australia and Nueva Caledonia already reduce operations and Anglo American seeks to sell assets in Brazil. The operation with MMG, backed by Chinese capital, is being investigated by the Brazilian competition authority after the Turkish Corex Holding complaint, How have they explained in another FT report. The result is an unbalanced map: Indonesia and China concentrate low cost capacity, while in the West the large mining companies are replicated or directly leave the business. There is an even greater cost. Indonesia’s competitive advantage rests on coal. Four large companies in the sector issued 15.3 million tons of greenhouse gases, and those emissions could double around 2028, according to IEEFA calculations and create collected by The Diplomat. This model collides with the arrival of regulations such as the EU carbon border adjustment mechanism, which will penalize materials with great carbon footprint. To this is added social risk: A report cited by The Guardian alert that a large part of the farms of transition minerals overlap with indigenous territories or fragile ecosystems, with accusations of deforestation, labor abuses and conflicts with local communities. And the technological risk is added. The rise of lithium-cherrophosphate (LFP) batteries, that do not require nickelcan cut the planned demand. Although they have less energy density, these batteries are cheaper and more sustainable, and are gaining space in electric vehicles. West, between the sword and the wall. The great Western miners face a dilemma. On the one hand, high costs and social pressures: the Resolution Copper project in Arizona, promoted by Rio Tinto and BHP, It has been delayed by the opposition for years of the Apache tribe of San Carlos. On the other hand, the strategic need to reinforce local supply chains. Washington has described nickel as critical metal, but its reserves are limited. Mining companies do not want to lose their best client: China. In 2024, 57% of Rio Tinto’s income came from sales to China, compared to only 16.7% in the United States, According to data cited in Xataka. The export controls of minerals imposed by Donald Trump’s government – and Beijing’s response with restrictions on Galio, Germanio, Scandio or Disposio – show how metal trade has become a geopolitical weapon. China: The pan by the handle. If Indonesia puts resources, China puts money and knowledge. The clearest example is Gem, a Chinese producer of battery materials that in the first half of 2025 doubled its nickel production in Indonesia up to 43,977 tons, reaching a record benefit of almost 800 million yuan, According to Bloomberg. In addition, Gem signed a 1,420 million dollar agreement with the Indonesian Sovereign Danantara fund to build a battery grade nickel plant. China also ensures its position outside Asia. In Africa, As we have explained in Xatakahas invested more than 10,000 million dollars in cobalt, copper and nickel mines, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, and accompanies those investments with infrastructure, bilateral agreements and, even, the export of armament and private security to protect mining interests. In macro terms, China is becoming what some call the first “electrostate“. As my partner Matías has pointed outunder the plan Made in China 2025 It has managed to integrate the entire clean technologies supply chain: solar panels, batteries and electric cars. The country already generates more than a quarter of its electricity with renewables and de facto controls the global prices of electrification technologies. Forecasts: what comes on the horizon. Nickel’s future seems written at several speeds. Indonesia will continue to consolidate its role as an epicenter of the global offer. The prohibition of exporting mineral, added to the avalanche of Chinese capital, has turned the country into the great refining of the world and the Yakarta government wants to take another step: not to settle for producing nickel nicing or chemicals, but also becoming a manufacturer of batteries and electric vehicles, How Financial Times points out. In parallel, the demand for stainless steel will continue to absorb most of the nickel, but the battery market is emerging as the great engine of change in this decade. The problem is that this forecast … Read more

The Critical Mineral Companies of the West are trapped between the US and its best client: China

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Western companies that are dedicated to the extraction and processing of critical minerals are between the sword and the wall. These raw materials They are fundamental for many strategic industriessuch as those of semiconductors, telecommunications, advanced weapons or electric car, so USA and China are using them as a resource to exert pressure on the other. This situation represents a very serious problem for Western mining companies because Donald Trump’s government has imposed very strict controls to China of these minerals, as well as High tariffs. Rio Tinto and BHP are the world’s largest western miners, and its best client is China. In fact, According to Volt Rush In 2024, 57% of Rio Tinto’s income came from China compared to 16.7% of the US. Losing the Chinese market is not an option for these companies, so the managers of the two companies I just mentioned have met with President Donald Trump in the White House with the purpose of defending their interests and protecting their position in China. However, they also have something to offer to the Administration: the possibility of reinforcing the US supply chain by opening new deposits in the country, such as the “Resolution Copper” project of Arizona, delayed for years due to the opposition of the Apache tribe of San Carlos. China dominates an essential market for the US and its allies: that of rare earths On April 4, just 24 hours after Donald Trump announced the taxes that he was going to apply to the importation of most products from abroad, The administration led by Xi Jinping responded. And he did it forcefully. In early December 2024 He chose to prohibit The export of some critical minerals to the US, among which were three essential metals for the chips industry: Gallium, Germanio and Antimony. Shortly after the Chinese government added two more critical metals to its list of export restrictions: the Scandio and the Disposio. These chemical elements are probably less known than metals prohibited by China previously, such as Gallium or Germanio, but They are at least so important Like the latter because they have a fundamental role in the industries of integrated circuits, telecommunications and the manufacture of storage devices. Many companies have high -power magnet reservations made with rare earths, but possibly they will only allow them to subsist a few months The ability to put pressure from China had not yet been extinguished. Just ten days later, on April 14, the Administration did not hesitate take another step forward With the purpose of putting in check, in addition to the industries that I just mentioned, those of electric cars, aeronautics and advanced armament. To achieve this, it effectively suspended, in addition to the export of the most valuable rare earths, that of high -power magnets that have a critical role in the industries that I have cited in this same paragraph. Chinese authorities are retaining in ports throughout the country not only rare earths, but also high -power magnets acquired by electric cars manufacturers throughout the planet, aerospace companies, chip factories and armament companies. Many of these organizations They have high -power magnet reservations Made with rare earths, but possibly they will only allow them to subsist a few months. Europe in particular is in an extremely delicate position. China’s export controls are directed mainly to the US, but the old continent It does not remain unscathed. At least for the moment. In fact, in Germany, which as we all know is the heart of the European car industry, There are already experts who assure that if China continues to retain rare earths and electric motors some essential parts of the electric cars production chain will stop in a few weeks. For the European car industry this blow would be very difficult to fit. European companies that are dedicated to the manufacture of semiconductors are also in a very compromised situation. According to Reuters Many European chip production lines They will stop very soon Due to the shortage of crucial supplies, which has led the European Chamber of Commerce to meet with officials of the Ministry of Commerce of China to ask them to allow rare earth supply to European companies that are dedicated to the production of integrated circuits. Image | Volker Braun | Gage Skidmore More information | Volt Rush In Xataka | The US will not be able to contain the technological development of China. Experts from the chips industry forecast it

The last to get to the China parade was Kim Jong Un. Because in North Korea the leaders do not fly, but they travel armored

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Where is Kim Yong Un? The question shortly before the beginning of the Military Parade in Beijing For the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, it began to circulate among the attendees. The answer would come shortly after. Just because The missiles that North Korea He had shown hours before they fly at a vertiginous speed, the nation leaders do it slow and on land, but completely safe. A trip loaded with symbolism. The displacement of Kim Jong-un a Beijing represented much more than a simple transfer: it was his reappearance in the multilateral scene accompanied by an emblem of dynastic power, the known armored train as “the sun” (Taeyangcho). This convoy, painted green off and armored in each of its wagons, has been the means of favorite transport of the Kim family from the Foundation of North Korea, linked to both the personal security of the leader and the propaganda staging of the dynasty. Its use reinforced the continuity narrativetradition and strength in an event where state leaders of more than 20 countries coincided, including strategic allies such as Russia and Iran. The rail legacy. The train predilection comes from afar. Kim Il-Sung used it as Modernity symbol and closeness to the people, and Kim Jong-il made him Your exclusive vehicle for fear of flying, reaching a journey of thousands of kilometers Until Moscow in 2001. His trips were long expeditions in which the train became a residence, command room and meeting space with foreign leaders. After his death in 2011, occurred precisely on this train, one of his wagons was converted in exposed relic In his mausoleum in Pyongyang, consolidating the image of the railroad as an essential part of the cult of personality. Kim Jong-UN has continued tradition, although it combines the train with rented aircraft when travel demands to cross oceans, as happened at its summit With Donald Trump in Singapore In 2018. A armored office. Beyond tradition, the train is today an authentic Mobile Command Center. Their wagons have offices, meeting rooms, sofas, satellite communication systems, televisions and computers, in addition to a permanent bodyguard and medical staff. Security measures include Comprehensive armor and weapons Heavy on board, in addition to space to transport the leader’s own car. This infrastructure makes it an Rself -sufficient and safe efugiobut also in an extremely slow medium: its maximum round speed 60 km/hwhich, together with the precarious state of the North Korean roads, prolongs any journey for days. Thus, in 2019 he needed almost three days to reach Hanói from Pyongyang in his meeting with Trump. Luxury and ostentation. The train not only guarantees protection and functionality, it is also the scene of the excesses associated with the dynasty. For example, during the trips of Kim Jong-il, I They served live lobsters and delicacies of various international kitchens, while French wines arrived in air cargoes along the journey. They even organized shows on board with singers and actors to liven up displacements. Although similar anecdotes have not been documented in the era of Kim Jong-UN, South Korean intelligence services believe that the leader has inherited his father’s inclination by the Refined gastronomy and the ostentation. The train as a metaphor. So, “The Sun” It is much more than a vehicle: it symbolizes the rigidity of power that moves slowly, but with Absolute armorwrapped in luxury for the leader and sacrifice for the people. In each international trip, the image of the green convoy touring borders becomes a metaphor for the survival of an isolated regime, which combines tradition, ostentation and fear in equal doses. Kim Jong’s arrival a Beijing in this kind of strength about Raíles not only evoked his father and grandfather’s legacy, but sent the world a continuity message: The dynasty remains firm, armored against external threats and determined to maintain its rituals even in the era of hypersonic missiles and autonomous drones. Image | Heute In Xataka | China has just told the world the place it wants to occupy. And he has done it with a parade of weapons that seem like science fiction In Xataka | In 2021 North Korea drew a stage as a power. Russia and a secret base have turned the plan in four years

China has just told the world the place it wants to occupy. And he has done it with a parade of weapons that seem like science fiction

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During September 3, Beijing has become the stage of one of the Chinese military parades more elaborate that are remembered, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. An event that China has used to Promote nationalism through a parade where to show the world the place he wants to occupy. And according to the artillery that has seen the lightThere are no limits. Artillery as support. As we said, the imposing military parade in Beijing was conceived as An unequivocal message: Xi Jinping’s vision of a new world order with China in the center has a warlike vanguard apparatus that begins to be at the height, and even ahead, of its rivals. Among the protagonists highlighted the new intercontinental ballistic missile DF-61successor of DF-41together with missiles with hypersonic plankers capable of exceeding the speed of sound five times and complicating any antimile defense. The demonstration included a broad Drones repertoire (aerial, terrestrial and submarines) with functions ranging from direct combat to logistics, some designed to act as “faithful squires” of Chinese furtive fighters, consolidating the EPL’s commitment to the Autonomous War. DF-61 Directed energy weapons. Beyond the missiles, the true revolution was on the exhibition of Laser and energy weapons directed, in naval and land versions, capable of neutralizing sensory and drones enemy at ridiculous costs compared to conventional ammunition. If these systems are deployed in number, such as They hinted Official sources could suppose an unprecedented challenge for any force that tries to stop Chinese military movements in their region of influence. This technological turn, supported by an enormous industrial capacity, points to a strategy where the quantity and sophistication They combine to cement China’s strategic ascent. Set of laser weapons during the military parade Two versions. They appeared Two laser systems Air defense: a large one, intended for its installation in warships, and another mounted on an eight -wheeled vehicle, capable of hosting the necessary electrical power to overcome the limitations of previous versions. These systems, which do not depend on kinetic projectiles but on Electromagnetic energy To destroy objectives through heat, electrical interference or sensor blindness, they mark a turning point in the anti -aircraft and anti -anton defense. In front of them, high -power microwave systems (also in development) offer the ability to neutralize whole swarms of drones with simultaneous bursts. The logistics and economic advantage is evident: each shot costs a fraction of a missile and does not require transporting heavy ammunition, only energy. Submarine drone AJX002 The debut of underwater drones. China also showed for the first time Two submarine vehicles not large -sized (Xluuv), consolidating their leadership in a field where at least five different programs in the test phase already operate. One of the exhibited models, identified as AJX002measures between 18 and 20 meters long with a reduced diameter of up to 1.5 meters, while the second shares length but is considerably wider, between 2 and 3 meters, and carries two masts. Although their specific missions have not been revealed, analysts consider carry torpedoes or mineseither fulfill recognition functions in prolonged and high autonomy operations. With this presentation, the Chinese Navy confirms its intention to integrate underwater platforms Autonomous on a large scaleexpanding the unmanned war options in a domain traditionally reserved for conventional submarines. Some of the hypersonic missiles shown The YJ-17: hypersonic and “nuclear.” Among the most strategic revelations The YJ-17 wasa missile that combines the naval denomination of the YJ family with the technological inheritance of DF-17the first medium -range ballistic missile with a hypersonic planner (HGV) developed by China. If the DF-17 already demonstrated extreme precision in tests (capable of impacting a few meters from its target after performing evasive maneuvers), the YJ-17 supposes the adaptation of that system For vertical pitchers of warships. Although it is believed that it can carry conventional eyelets, its nuclear capacity cannot be ruled out, which reinforces its deterrent value. Non -manned wing aircraft of the Plaaf. Two different configurations were seen but no designation details have been provided The industrial muscle as an advantage. No doubt, the parade was also proof of the volume of production that China can sustain. According to analysts Like Malcolm Davisthe country demonstrates the ability to develop, manufacture and deploy faster and higher advanced systems than the West. In other words: it is a reminder that, while in World War II the American industry inclined the global balance, today is Beijing who You can manufacture in mass Military teams with efficiency that Washington can hardly match. The CSIS data They confirm this trend: Chinese military expenditure has multiplied by thirteen in 30 years and already exceeds its immediate neighbors, quintupllica that of Japan and septuming that of South Korea. Anti-Enlambre Training (MENGSHI Laser “OW5-A10”, “PLB-625” cannon of 6 x 25 mm, 30 mm cannon, “Mini dome CUAV FK-3000”, Laser HMV3 “OW5-A50”) The naval dimension. Already We count yesterday. The biggest difference with the United States is perceived in the sea: by 2030, the Chinese Navy could have a 48% more ships of war that the American, which revives the historical maxim that the largest fleet usually imposes itself. While in the West it is confident that technological superiority, such as drone swarms with artificial intelligence, maintain balance, the parade showed that China already has Advanced autonomous systems in active duty and in operational quantities. In addition, the introduction of laser defenses against drones and missiles reinforces Beijing’s narrative about an “intelligent war”, where autonomy and systems network dominate the battlefield. JY-17 The Arsenal per sea. The YJ-17 did not appear alone: ​​it was accompanied by anti-man- YJ-15, YJ-19 and YJ-20all conceived to be deployed from the largest surface fleet in the world, composed of destroyers and frigates with vertical pitchers. Here the strategic message seems clear: the American aircraft carriers, the cornerstone of Washington’s naval power in the Pacific, could be vulnerable at any point in the region before a coordinated rain Hypersonic missiles and cruise released from multiple platforms. With … Read more

It is not that China seriously in the Pacific, is that the space has revealed the size of a vertiginous naval domain

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The satellite images From the rehearsals in Changjing, near Beijing, they are showing the magnitude of what China prepares for The military parade of September 3: an exhibition that coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of the war against Japan and that is emerging as a demonstration of naval and strategic power directed against the United States and its allies. Because China goes very seriously If we expand the focus. A missile showcase to deter. They counted the Insider analysts that among the images include the presence of mobile systems, advanced drones and, above all, a complete line of Antibheque missiles that It covers from Furtive subsonic models to hypersonic projectiles of great maneuverability, conceived to deny the access of the US Navy to the Western Pacific. Among the systems: The YJ-18Csubsonic and stealthy missile, The YJ-15Ramjet propulsion and supersonic speed, and The YJ-21capable of launching from ships or aircraft with hypersonic capacity against whites in motion. An even more advanced projectile would be added to them, The YJ-19of hypersonic planning superior to Mach 10. This missile deployment, which covers all possible categories, far exceeds what is necessary to face the Taiwanese navy and directly points to US and allied forces in the region, reinforcing the Power perception capable of controlling nearby seas. Unmanned platforms. Next to the missiles, the parade will include unmanned war systems. In the preparation zone, combat drones have been observed as The GJ-11 and the GJ-2as well as vehicles designed to transport naval surface drones. One of the most striking elements is the appearance of a small submarine drone to the Russian Poseidonpossibly destined for long -range oceanic surveillance or even attack missions. Although it is not clear if it is nuclear or if it can carry eyebrows, its mere presence indicates that Beijing explores the strategic weapons path unconventional In the maritime domain. The image of the place of the parade, taken on August 25, shows the complete extension of the vehicles parked in the testing place ICBM, missiles and scope. The deployment is not limited to the naval stage. In another section of the enclosure, at least 16 vehicles are appreciated carrying what would be intercontinental ballistic missiles Dongfeng-41solid fuel and with a range of up to 15,000 kilometers, capable of carrying multiple nuclear heads. They could also present land attack cruise missiles such as The DF-100designed to achieve targets at great distance at supersonic speed. With these weapons, Beijing projects the image of a power with the ability to hit not only in Asia-Pacific, but against objectives in US territory, including Guam or even the west coast. The sea as an instrument of ascent. I remembered this week The BBC In an extensive report that, in just two decades, China has transformed its naval industry into the most powerful in the world, absorbing More than 60% of the global orders of ships and producing at a rhythm 200 times higher than that of the United States. This domain is reflected in its navy, which already has 234 ships compared to 219 of the American fleet, although the American advantage still lies in the tonnage, in the large aircraft carriers and in the technological superiority of its submarines. For Beijing, the sea is The basis of its development economic (with seven of the ten most active ports on the planet) and the springboard to project Geopolitical ambitions increasingly explicit in the South China Sea and beyond. A new Chinese naval base with six nuclear submarines Dual shipyards and fusion. The key to this growth lies in the fusion between shipyards civil and military. Dalian, Guangzhou, Jiangnan and Hudong-Zhonghua produced between 2019 and 2024 almost 550,000 tons of military ships, more than the British Navy Royal displaces. The “military-live” model driven by XI Jinping allows large commercial facilities to manufacture war or support their maintenance, which provides China from multiply assets In case of prolonged conflict. Thus, even without even having a fleet of aircraft carriers comparable to the American, Beijing has a strategic advantage in the speed of replacement and In versatility of his shipyards. Extended bases. The qualitative leap is reflected in the expansion of bases such as Yulin, in Hainan, where in recent years they have Added five docks To house Jin nuclear submarines capable of carrying twelve strategic missiles each. In fact, recent trials and social networks material show that the popular liberation army is incorporating submarine drones capable of deep surveillance, detection of cables and covert operations in international waters. Although much of these technologies remains experimental, the investment rate suggests a clear will of shortening distances With Washington in high sophistication areas. The historical memory. In addition, the Chinese naval project is loaded of political symbolism. Xi Jinping links its strengthening to the “humiliations” suffered between 1840 and 1949, when China suffered 470 invasions and lost its regional power position. In The military paradeswhich exhibit hypersonic missiles and antisatellite weapons, the idea of ​​a country that resurfaces after centuries of submission is transmitted. Thus, the slogan “we defend our ocean dream”, present In naval theme parks and in walls of port cities, seeks to instill national pride and legitimize the enormous military expense before the population. The Taiwan factor and tensions. With this “Naval” Map of Beijing, the biggest question is how the nation will use The growing power. Although he says he does not want to interfere in other countries, he holds the promise of “gathering” Taiwan, without ruling out The use of force. United States, forced by law to assemble Taipéi, perceives the risk of an open conflict dragging the region to a greater war. Chinese naval trials near Japan and the circumnavigation of Australia show that the Navy is no longer limited to its nearby waters. Meanwhile, the Pentagon Try to revitalize a naval industry weakened after decades of divestment, although recovering the initiative will be A titanic task. The decisive issue for the Pacific balance, therefore, seems clear: who can put … Read more

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