21st century mineral warfare

Whereas hydrocarbons were the most important resources of the 20th century, the metals used to create electronics and low-carbon energy sources are the most important resources of the 21st century.

In addition to nickel and cobalt, we also need Gallium, which is necessary for electronics including computers, chargers, and modern radars. Unfortunately, this video does not cover another strategically valuable metal, gallium, so I will. Gallium is normally found with deposits of bauxite aluminum and in certain zinc deposits. China dominates because they have a large amount of bauxite, refine it, and understand its strategic importance. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) are key materials for various electronic devices like transistors, integrated circuits, and microwave circuits. Gallium is also a vital component of blue and green LEDs. Every modern high-end radar, electric capacitor, and microprocessor contains gallium.

It would behoove us to work with Australia, Greece, Türkiye, and Iceland to produce more. We should also develop deposits in Guyana, the Solomon Islands, Sierra Leone, and Vietnam. We should also invest in Filipino and Indian aluminum smelting to get Gallium and other tare Earth Minerals. The Philippines, Vietnam, and India are key to containing China. Helping their economies while also getting the minerals we need is a win-win. The US and UK should also help ensure the security of Guyana and help them develop hydrocarbons and bauxite. We are not going to get anywhere by threatening countries. We should strategically collaborate with them.

 

The New Map of Critical Minerals.

Trade with China is Never Free

This is not another rant about products and food from the People's Republic of China poisoning us. Nor is it about the political and religious prisoners forced to work in Logai, Chinese Gulags, making said products. You've doubtless read those. No, this is about the Chinese government using technology that American companies provide or they steal to reduce liberty in China and threaten America.

And one name just keeps popping up; Cisco. Back in 1994 in order to set up shop in China and produce networking and security systems and electronics for less, Cisco sold its soul, by selling and continuing to sell the communist regime the systems set up systems to find dissidents and democracy activists. Now that decision has borne more poisoned fruit.
Back in January, the FBI released a report indicating that Chinese companies were counterfeiting Cisco and other network equipment and that US government contractors were installing this equipment. Of course the loss of intellectual capital and sales hurts Cisco and they deserve far worse. However, these shoddy products also pose a security risk since a Chinese company wrote the underlying code.

Does this have anything to do with 300 million/day cyber-attacks on the Pentagon? I don't have any clearance, but the answer is rather obvious. However, two congressmen have admitted that Congress has been hacked by China. Representatives Wolf (R-VA) and Smith (R-NJ) both have had their office computers broken in to. So far the only information, which has been publicly acknowledged to have been stolen, was that on Chinese dissidents. The true extent of the breach will never really be disclosed and the damage done to the US will never be acknowledged.

Of course, I shouldn't pick on Cisco. Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Cisco, Sun Microsystems and Skype have all aided the Chinese censor information in the PRC. But the decision of Cisco to manufacture components and systems in China, a decision shared by too many companies, has helped solidify Chinese tyranny at home and undermine American security.

Just another cost of Most Favored Nation Status and American companies selling the rope, which will be used to hang us.