Staff Reports
The United States is facing a predicament that seems more suited for a bad B-movie plot than real life. While politicians engage in their usual finger-pointing and the State Department spends more time strutting around the globe promoting the LGBTQ+ agenda than focusing on actual threats, China has quietly put its sights on controlling the cobalt market. Yes, cobalt, the metal that most people couldn’t pick out of a lineup, is now the chess piece in a high-stakes game of international strategy.
Many Americans might not care to ponder the importance of cobalt, but this substance is crucial for our tech-driven society. If lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from electric vehicles to cell phones, were a holiday meal, cobalt would be the turkey. Without it, the entire operation comes to a screeching halt. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite its myriad of issues, produces a staggering 72% of the world’s cobalt. The fact that this country has been the playground for Chinese businesses to bribe and maneuver their way to the top of the cobalt food chain should have anyone who values American sovereignty up in arms.
EV’s that are being pushed on us get 85 percent of their Minerals to build from China. This will kill lots of Americans Jobs. Kamala is Cancer to America! pic.twitter.com/pSsoki5Ibe
— Johnny Midnight ⚡️ (@its_The_Dr) August 25, 2024
China’s mining giant, CMOC, didn’t just stroll into the DRC asking politely for business; they were bribing their way in under the previous president, Joseph Kabila. And after Félix Tshisekedi took over in 2019 and temporarily put a stop to Chinese contracts, it wasn’t long before the Biden administration turned a blind eye. CMOC resumed operations as if nothing ever happened, thanks possibly to some “creative” negotiations. In the meantime, American political leaders are worried about ensuring cupcakes in the cafeteria align with diversity quotas.
The battle for lithium, the other key mineral in this saga, is only slightly less dire. With American lithium sources languishing while Argentine producers send a whopping four times more lithium to China than to the U.S., it sounds more like a bad trade deal than solid economic strategy. To add insult to injury, companies involved in this export hustle include American firms trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Apparently, making a quick buck has taken precedence over national security.
While U.S. sanctions are still busy shuffling around with all the urgency of a sloth on a lazy Sunday, corporations are already plotting their next moves to sidestep legal entanglements and cash in on China’s gain. This should be high on Congress’s to-do list, yet instead of stepping up to tackle a critical threat, they’re focused on clashing over who can use which bathroom.
Learning from history could benefit modern lawmakers here. Back when Bill Clinton was in office, he managed to prevent Conoco from wiggling its way into Iranian oil fields. The following year, Congress flexed its muscles with the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act, making it clear that American interests weren’t up for sale, even if it ruffled some European feathers. Fast-forward to today, and the stakes are higher as China looms over the global market like a domineering landlord.
Ultimately, action needs to be taken swiftly. The U.S. must disrupt Chinese activities in the DRC and clamp down on companies facilitating lithium exports to China. Every single kilogram of cobalt or lithium that graces Chinese soil is a step backward for American interests. The time has come for legislators to put aside petty squabbles and prioritize fortifying the nation’s economic future, or risk handing over our global influence without so much as a second thought.
