At a recent electronics fair in Shanghai, Chinese semiconductor companies were out in force, showcasing their ambitions with bold slogans like “Offering complete domestic solutions” and “Use Chinese chips, love Chinese chips.” These catchphrases reflect Beijing’s push for technological self-reliance. But despite the patriotic marketing, China’s dependence on certain American semiconductors remains stark—especially in key industrial sectors like automotive manufacturing.

That reality was thrown into sharp relief in late April when China unexpectedly lifted its 125% retaliatory tariffs on eight categories of U.S.-made chips. The decision, which followed lobbying by major Chinese automakers, reveals how difficult it has been for China to reduce its reliance on foreign semiconductors, particularly in areas where domestic substitutes remain immature or untested.

The rekindling of diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe marks a strategic realignment shaped not only by historical reconciliation, but also by a shared interest in critical minerals, particularly lithium, a metal central to the global energy transition and high-tech industries.

For nearly three decades, relations between Zimbabwe and the UK were marked by escalating tension, triggered by disagreements over land reform, human rights, and Western-imposed sanctions. The rupture began in 1997, when Britain refused to fund Zimbabwe’s land redistribution program, citing the absence of a colonial obligation.

Washington and Astana are turning a long-overlooked corner of Central Asia into a test case for allied critical-minerals strategy. Under a deal the Trump administration plans to unveil, Cove Capital will take a 70% stake alongside Kazakhstan’s state miner Tau-Ken Samruk to develop the Northern Katpar and Upper Kairakty tungsten deposits, with project costs estimated at roughly $1.1 billion and a U.S. EXIM Bank letter of interest for up to $900 million in financing.

The joint venture will control sales and has pledged to prioritize U.S. government and American commercial needs, a notable line given that the United States hasn’t mined tungsten since 2015 and depends heavily on Chinese supply.