Part 3/12:
International media coverage, including Reuters and The New York Times, highlight the implications of China's move. The White House reportedly was "blindsided" by this announcement, which is characterized as a "massive escalation" with the potential to dramatically reshape global supply chains practically overnight. China's control over rare earths, particularly the refining of roughly 99% of the world's dysprosium—a vital element for heat-resistant chip components and defense systems—could effectively give Beijing de facto control over parts of the global semiconductor supply chain.