@article{ART003383474},
author={Kim Euy and Kim, Jih-un},
title={An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals},
journal={Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies},
issn={1225-8539},
year={2026},
volume={33},
number={3},
pages={41-66},
doi={10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002}
TY - JOUR
AU - Kim Euy
AU - Kim, Jih-un
TI - An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals
JO - Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies
PY - 2026
VL - 33
IS - 3
PB - Institute of Global Affairs
SP - 41
EP - 66
SN - 1225-8539
AB - ThisstudyarguesthatChina’sabilitytoaggressivelyconfronttheUnited States during the 2025 U.S.-China trade war or one of critical reasons explaining why the U.S. almost abruptly halted its tariff pressure on China and entered into negotiations with the country has much to do with China’s leverage over the U.S. in supply of critical minerals. Indeed, China holds a near-monopolistic dominance over the global supply of critical minerals and the U.S. remains heavily dependent on China even for those essential to its own weapon production. While Washington’s threat perception concerning this dependence has steadily intensified, Beijing’s strategic thinking and policies regarding critical minerals have concurrently strengthened. In particular, China has systematically built up export controls for critical minerals. All these factors laid the foundation for China to utilize critical minerals as a strategic tool and wage an aggressive response to U.S. tariffs during the trade war. In addition, they became a key reason that the U.S. initiated negotiations with China and reduced its tariffs on Chinese goods soon after the trade war began.
KW - The United States;China;trade war;tariff;critical minerals;supply chains
DO - 10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
ER -
Kim Euy and Kim, Jih-un. (2026). An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals. Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies, 33(3), 41-66.
Kim Euy and Kim, Jih-un. 2026, "An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals", Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies, vol.33, no.3 pp.41-66. Available from: doi:10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
Kim Euy, Kim, Jih-un "An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals" Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies 33.3 pp.41-66 (2026) : 41.
Kim Euy, Kim, Jih-un. An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals. 2026; 33(3), 41-66. Available from: doi:10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
Kim Euy and Kim, Jih-un. "An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals" Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies 33, no.3 (2026) : 41-66.doi: 10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
Kim Euy; Kim, Jih-un. An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals. Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies, 33(3), 41-66. doi: 10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
Kim Euy; Kim, Jih-un. An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals. Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies. 2026; 33(3) 41-66. doi: 10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
Kim Euy, Kim, Jih-un. An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals. 2026; 33(3), 41-66. Available from: doi:10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
Kim Euy and Kim, Jih-un. "An Analysis of China’s Assertiveness vis-a-vis the U.S. during the 2025 Bilateral Trade War: Focusing on Critical Minerals" Journal of Asia-Pacific Studies 33, no.3 (2026) : 41-66.doi: 10.18107/japs.2026.33.3.002
