This blog post is based on links sent to me by alert readers (one in Norway and one in the USA). One link deals with Japan’s intent to quickly set up a joint venture with Vietnam to mine rare earths in Vietnam, and the second link discusses Germany’s efforts to free itself from dependence on China’s monopoly of these strategic minerals. Germany and Japan appear to be forming a joint effort to look for new rare earth sources to end their dependency on China. These two nations clearly see the dangers of allowing China’s bellicose leaders to monopolize such strategic materials. Indeed, Germany’s Prime Minister Merkel said all “Europe” must form a policy to locate new and steady sources of these vital minerals.
The second link reports that the USA is considering joining Japan in filing a case against China at the World Trade Organization. Of course, that is a slow and bureaucratic process. The USA (and all world nations) need to move swiftly to secure new sources of these strategic minerals that are not controlled by China’s Communist Government. I think China also just learned a lesson in its heavy-handed use of a boycott to cut off western nations from key rare earth minerals. While showing their ability to harm the economies of other nations, China also woke up all other nations to the dangers of being dependent on China for anything that is of strategic importance. In doing so, China will stimulate quick actions by western nations to develop new sources of these minerals and China will gradually lose its monopoly position in this area of trade. China’s harsh trade actions resulted in a short-term victory by China, but it will result in a long-term loss for China.
That Japan is seeking to quickly form a joint venture with Vietnam argues that Vietnam may become one of the “young lion” nations in the Pacific Rim that Ezekiel 38:13 prophesied would be allied with Japan and India in an Asian alliance that will not be part of the Gog-Magog alliance. For a fuller discussion of the prophecy of Ezekiel 38:13, please refer to my article, Japan’s Role in Biblical Prophecy, available at the article tab at this website’s homepage.
http://www.moneynews.com/Markets/AS-Japan-Vietnam-Rare/2010/10/22/id/374562
http://www.thelocal.de/money/20101022-30681.html
