Chinese Premier Li Qiang signals strategic leverage during rare earth facility tour
Premier Li Qiang visited rare earth sites on Tuesday to signal China's control over strategic minerals. The move comes as competition with the U.S. intensifies.
Premier Li Qiang of China 
CN inspected rare earth facilities in Jiangxi on February 11, 2026, emphasizing the strategic importance of the sector and signaling its potential role as leverage in competition with the United States 
US. According to reports from the state news agency Xinhua, the visit included stops at a research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and various unnamed rare earth production enterprises. This inspection is viewed as a deliberate policy signal, highlighting the strategic value of rare earths as critical inputs for civilian manufacturing, green technology, and weapons.
CN inspected rare earth facilities in Jiangxi on February 11, 2026, emphasizing the strategic importance of the sector and signaling its potential role as leverage in competition with the United States US. According to reports from the state news agency Xinhua, the visit included stops at a research institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and various unnamed rare earth production enterprises. This inspection is viewed as a deliberate policy signal, highlighting the strategic value of rare earths as critical inputs for civilian manufacturing, green technology, and weapons.
