Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with foreign ministers from Japan, India, and Australia in Washington on Tuesday to launch a new alliance aimed at cutting dependence on China for critical minerals. The agreement, part of a broader “Quad Critical Minerals Initiative,” includes plans for up to 40 companies from the four nations to meet and discuss reshaping their mineral supply chains.
Rubio’s initiative comes as concern mounts over China’s dominance in critical minerals used in everything from electric vehicles to defense systems. The joint statement from Quad leaders emphasized the dangers of relying on one country—widely understood to be China—for key raw materials, warning that such dependence exposes industries to “economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions.”
The Quad, formally known as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, originated in 2004 as a disaster-relief coalition but has evolved into a strategic alliance focused on Indo-Pacific stability, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. Tuesday’s meeting marked a continuation of the bloc’s increasing economic coordination in the face of China’s aggressive trade practices.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong reaffirmed U.S. strategic importance, calling America “Australia’s closest ally and principal strategic partner.” She noted the new agreement would bolster “peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”
India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss defense sales and military coordination. Hegseth said major U.S.-India arms deals were moving toward completion.
The Quad’s new minerals initiative follows growing tensions between the U.S. and Japan over tariffs. President Donald Trump has warned Japan may face a 24 percent tariff on certain goods after July 9 if no trade agreement is reached. Despite friction over trade, all four Quad nations appeared united on reducing reliance on Chinese minerals.
The joint statement did not mention China by name but condemned the “use of non-market policies” that distort the critical minerals market. The alliance aims to challenge China’s state-subsidized mining and refining monopoly, which critics say is built on forced labor and unfair trade practices.
India is looking to African countries for alternative sources of critical minerals, while Australia is investing in domestic refining to bypass Chinese processors. The United States is pushing coordination through the State Department and exploring new supply channels with allies.
Chinese media mocked the announcement, casting doubt on whether the Quad can compete with China’s low-cost production. But the message from Washington was clear: economic security starts with mineral independence.
