According to a recent statement from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China raised its annual rare-earth mining quota to 132,000 tons, 10 percent more than last year’s level and a new record high.
While the move alleviates concerns that China, the world’s largest supplier of rare-earth minerals, may cut supplies, some critics believe that by raising the quota, China has actually made it more difficult for the US and other countries to develop their own rare-earth industries. The importance and strategic significance of rare earths is self-evident, but it should be made clear that China is not trying to contain the rare-earth industry of any country with its advantageous position. Unlike the US, China never resorts to containment as its strategy to any potential competition.
It is no secret that the excessive reliance of the US on China’s rare-earth supplies is a form of leverage that China has in the trade war with the US. China controls at least 85 percent of the world’s rare-earth processing capacity, according to research firm Adamas Intelligence. Over the years, the US sourced about 80 percent of its rare-earth imports from China. China may not need to play the rare-earth card for the time being, but it is still essential to keep vigilant and to ensure the deterrent effect of this crucial bargaining chip.
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1171149.shtml
Since the patent system in China more or less is useless, they have finally started to address the problem:
China’s top decision-making bodies on Sunday set out goals to improve the country’s beleaguered intellectual property (IP) enforcement channels, promising alternatives to overloaded courts so that victims can resolve issues more quickly and cheaply.
Persistent issues such as bad-faith trademark applications and “abnormal” patent filings will face heightened scrutiny.
Some commentators argue that many patents are poor quality and do not deserve even the minimum payout.
An engineering graduate told TechNode on Sunday that he filed eight useless patents for a five-point boost in his application to become a Shanghai resident.
County-level IP offices are supposed to provide quick relief, but critics have said they are ineffectual when faced with highly technical cases and rarely do more than refer victims to court.