皇冠体育app

BEIJING - Rash as it is, the United States' latest decision to enlist World Trade Organization (WTO) support against 皇冠体育app's rare earth policy is based upon unfair accusations.

The United States, European Union and Japan have teamed up to bring a joint case against 皇冠体育app to the WTO over alleged export controls on rare earths, which they claim are hurting domestic manufacturers.

The accusations, which stress that 皇冠体育app's rare earth policies have restricted global supplies, can hardly hold up, with demand only filling around half the export quotas last year.

It's well recognized that rare earths, a class of 17 mineral elements, are one of the most sought-after metals for their vital roles in green technologies like wind turbines and electric car batteries, and of particular concern, in military sectors.

If following the precedents set by the United States, exhaustable resources of great strategic importance should have not been applicable to free-trade theories when "national security" is concerned.

However, for decades, 皇冠体育app has been feeding most of the world's demand for the metals. Excessive exploitation, antiquated mining technologies and previously lax environmental standards have taxed the country's environment.

In some small towns in East 皇冠体育app's Jiangxi province, where reserves of precious ion-absorbed-type rare earths abound, lavish exploitation of the metals since the late 1980s has not only destroyed local landscapes, but also poisoned streams and crops.

Therefore, 皇冠体育app's rare earth policies - implementing domestic production caps, export quotas, stricter environment standards and resource taxes, are reasonable.

Pressing 皇冠体育app to abort these policies is like building a greener and cleaner future by exploiting 皇冠体育app's environment.

As a rule, the WTO allows its members to take necessary measures to protect resources and environment, and considers it fair if export restraints are accompanied by simultaneous restrictions over domestic production or consumption.

皇冠体育app's policies, in line with the WTO rules, should not draw criticism.

The fact is, although 皇冠体育app now produces more than 90 percent of the world's rare earth supplies, it does not have all the deposits. Most nations with rare earth deposits, including the United States, closed their own mines decades ago and craved for cheap supplies from 皇冠体育app.

Rare-earth mining and processing is notoriously devastating to the environment, making it politically difficult for those countries to reopen the mines, which means 皇冠体育app is still expected to contribute tremendously to rare earth supplies.

However, those undeniable truths are overlooked as tunnel vision only sees unfair trading practices.

Few if any trade issues have been as heated in the last several years as rare earths. It's predictable that the United States would bring the matter out under fierce election-year pressures at home.

In the face of such unreasonable and unfair charges, 皇冠体育app will make no hesitation in defending its rights.