Part 2/13:
Admiral Bower highlighted the critical need to safeguard supply chains, particularly for essential goods like pharmaceuticals and rare earth minerals, which are predominantly controlled by China. Notably, over 60% of rare earth materials and more than 90% of processing occurs in China, underscoring the West’s vulnerability. The warning comes amidst escalating tensions following recent NATO moves—such as the U.S.’s authorization of long-range missiles for strikes inside Russia and the UK’s deployment of Storm Shadow cruise missiles. These actions have escalated fears of a broader conflict, with Russia responding by revising its nuclear doctrine and testing an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) against Ukraine.