00:00U.S. President Donald Trump hailed leaders of five Central Asian countries after a White House meeting on Thursday as he intensifies his hunt for rare-earth metals needed for high-tech devices, including smartphones, electric vehicles and fighter jets.
00:17At a working dinner with officials from five Central Asian countries, Trump stressed the importance of critical minerals to Washington.
00:24One of the key items on our agenda is critical minerals. In recent weeks, my administration has strengthened American economic security by forging agreements with allies and friends across the world to broaden our critical mineral supply chain. We had a great relationship and a great meeting with President Xi of China.
00:43China expanded export restrictions over vital rare-earth metals before announcing after Trump-Xi talks in South Korea that Beijing will delay its new restrictions by one year.
00:57Analysts believe Washington is now seeking new ways to circumvent Beijing in the critical minerals market, which controls roughly 90% of global rare-earth processing.
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