Global Commodities: Supply insecure—China’s imports of commodities at all-time highs and likely to stay that way

At Any Rate

Speakers:

Natasha Kaneva, Head of Global Commodities Research

China’s imports of commodities are at all-time highs, in stark contrast to the wider, faltering macroeconomic growth in the country. As the world’s single largest consumer of commodities, China has three main sources of vulnerability: (i) it has abundant domestic resources of coal and rare earth but is relatively poor in others, (ii) with only 7% of the world’s arable land and limited fresh water resources, the country feeds about 20% of the world’s population, and (iii) most commodities are shipped to China via eight marine choke points—including the Strait of Malacca—over which the US has significant influence. To ensure the long-term security of strategic commodities, China is pursuing a three-pronged strategy: (i) more efficient development of domestic mineral and agricultural resources, (ii) establish control of resource bases overseas via equity stakes and partnerships, and (iii) build-up of strategic stockpiles. Given the increasing share of China-owned assets in the country’s total commodity import mix and China’s goal to boost its strategic reserves, the nation’s imports of natural resources will continue to grow.

This podcast was recorded on 3 July 2024.

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