WASHINGTON, October 1. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump signed a decree on Wednesday aimed at reducing the country's dependence on supplies from abroad of the most significant types of minerals, including rare earth elements, according to the White House.
"I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that a strong America cannot be dependent on imports from foreign adversaries for the critical minerals that are increasingly necessary to maintain our economic and military strength in the 21st century," Trump wrote in a letter to members of the US Congress.
"Our dependence on one country, the People’s Republic of China (China), for multiple critical minerals is particularly concerning. The United States now imports 80% of its rare earth elements directly from China, with portions of the remainder indirectly sourced from China through other countries. In the 1980s, the United States produced more of these elements than any other country in the world, but China used aggressive economic practices to strategically flood the global market for rare earth elements and displace its competitors," the statement said.
The White House press service noted that the decree is aimed at developing the mining industry in the United States, supporting jobs in this area, as well as reducing dependence on China for the supply of critical minerals.