US President Donald Trump has signed a series of critical mineral agreements during his visit to Asia, in a bid to secure rare earth supplies and reduce dependence on China.
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Here, the Post examines how these deals differ in scale, scope and potential impact.
What does the US-Japan framework cover?
On Tuesday, the two countries signed an agreement to “support the supply of raw and processed critical minerals and rare earths crucial to the domestic industries of the United States and Japan”.
While short on details, the framework outlined broad areas for potential cooperation – including joint mapping of mineral sources, investment opportunities and stockpiling.
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Both countries plan to act within six months to provide financial backing for selected projects, the document showed – though it did not disclose specific initiatives under consideration.