중국 희토류 무기화와 미얀마 군부 쿠데타의 관계 고찰

Abstract

This paper deals with the history and recent trends of how China has weaponized rare earthelements, a strategic resource called Vitamins of high-tech industries. China is the world slargest producer and reserve of rare earths, and has pursued so-called ‘rare earth hegemony’against the United States and other competitors in terms of energy security. Using its superiorposition, rare earths have been used as leverage in disputes and negotiations against Japanand the United States. However, China s market share and influence in the global rare earthmarket have gradually declined due to domestic and foreign concerns over environmentalpollution in the process of rare earth production and the reorganization of the domestic rareearth industry. Instead of controlling the production of rare earth in the country, China needsa new source of rare earth. China early paid attention to Myanmar, a neighboring countryfacing the border and the largest resource rich country in southwest Asia. Myanmar rareearths were imported into China and exported back to the global market after refining. Myanmar quickly became China s largest importer of rare earth. China has maintainedfriendly relations through political and economic support, including the military, which hasruled Myanmar for a long time, as well as the civilian government, which emerged in 2015after democratization. Unlike Western countries, which criticized the military dictatorshipand the Rohingya crisis and imposed economic sanctions, China has always defended theMyanmar regime. In return, it has enjoyed various preferential treatment in raising resources,including rare earths. In particular, the military coup in Myanmar earlier this year was anopportunity for China. The military has used control over resources to secure black moneyfrom China, and China has condoned and virtually supported the coup caused by such amilitary. China, which has secured a stable supply of Myanmar s rare earth based on its closeties with the Myanmar military, is now actively weaponizing rare earths again.