Comment on "No need to lock horns over rare earths" (China Daily, March 26)

I think this may not be simply a matter of cooperation, because such cooperation as envisioned by the author will not be easily realized. First, the Western countries and Japan are unlikely to transfer to China any advanced mining and refining technology, as they will want to keep their technological edge over China as long as possible. Second, their current high degree of dependence upon China's exports of rare earths is actually not due to their shortage of such mineral resources, but an act of self-protection. They use other countries' precious and rare resources first to preserve their own.

Our government should take the issue of rare earths exports into more serious and cautious consideration. It is not only a matter of trading, it should also be regarded as an issue of national resource security. China's reserves of rare earth minerals is one-third of the world total, yet our annual exports account for 90 percent of the global supply. This should sound the alarm that we have failed to realize the significance of rare earths and failed to preserve our limited and, now dwindling, resources. We have been mining them at the expense of our already heavily polluted environment and selling them at a low price and in large quantities. If we continue like this, there will be nothing left for the future.

Given that China is the largest exporter of rare earths, we should have, or strive to have, a greater say in pricing. Moreover, our government should spare no effort cracking down on the illegal trading in rare earths in order to better protect these rare natural resources.

Mandy Li, via e-mail

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(China Daily 04/06/2012 page9)