Kuala Lampur, Feb. 10 -- In the early months of 2026, global economic and geopolitical tectonics shifted once more - not in the South China Sea, or in headline-grabbing trade wars, but in the deep, often overlooked supply chains of critical minerals.

These are the elements - from rare earths to lithium, cobalt and gallium - that power the technologies of our age: electric vehicles, 5G networks, semiconductors, defence systems, renewable energy, and even artificial intelligence.

Control over these minerals is no longer just a business concern - it has become a strategic imperative.

The United States, under the leadership of Vice President JD Vance, has proposed a bold new initiative: the creation of a preferential trade bloc for critica...