Europe will selectively cut risks in certain areas, as the cost of freezing out China would be too great, observers say
4-MIN READ4-MIN ListenSeong Hyeon ChoiPublished: 11:00pm, 22 Jun 2026Europe’s defence industry would gradually reduce its reliance on China during the continent’s ongoing rearmament drive, rather than decouple completely, analysts said.
“We will work together with partners to reduce critical dependencies and ensure that attempts or threats to weaponise economic dependencies fail,” the declaration said.
China is the world’s largest producer of rare earths and other critical minerals, such as gallium, accounting for more than 90 per cent of global supply.
These materials are used to make advanced military systems including radars, missile guidance components and propulsion systems.
