The Economist: ‘In 1973 a club of Arab petrostates held the world to ransom by halting crude-oil exports to countries they accused of supporting Israel. Petrol prices soared; Western economies buckled. Today the danger is that China will use its grip on other natural resources to achieve its aims, such as seizing Taiwan.’

And: ‘Last April, during its trade war with America, China restricted exports of seven crucial rare earths; it targeted another five in October. Nearly a third of Pentagon procurement programmes faced the risk of shortages, as did industries from carmaking to renewable energy. The prospect of large-scale disruption prodded President Donald Trump into a trade truce with Xi Jinping.’

The Economist wants the US to cooperate with Europe and Japan in order to fight the Chinese monopoly.

But the US does everything to make Europe an ally of China.

Friends become enemies, enemies will be friends. History.

(a sf 2066)