China Controls 80% of Battery Materials Vital to US Defense, Report Warns

A startling new report has unveiled a critical vulnerability in U.S. national security: China controls over 80% of the raw materials essential for battery production in advanced defense technologies. This dominance, achieved through lax regulations, aggressive state intervention, and predatory economic tactics, poses a significant threat to American military readiness.

From graphite to cobalt, manganese to lithium, China’s grip on the global supply chain—processing 65% of the world’s lithium and 97% of anode active materials—is a strategic chokehold. These materials are not just powering electric vehicles; they’re the lifeblood of drones, handheld radios, autonomous submersibles, and cutting-edge directed-energy weapons. As the report grimly notes, batteries are the bullets of future wars.

China’s playbook is ruthless yet effective. Over two decades, state-backed banks have funneled $57 billion into mining projects across Africa and Latin America, securing control over vast mineral deposits. Through the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing has tightened its influence over resource-rich nations, while export controls on critical materials like graphite and rare earths since 2023 signal a blatant geopolitical power play against the U.S.

On the home front, American efforts to counter this dependency are underway but lag dangerously behind. New lithium processing projects in North and South Carolina show promise, and forecasts predict a 500% growth in the U.S. lithium market over the next five years. Yet, bureaucratic permitting delays and insufficient subsidies hinder progress, leaving domestic firms outpaced by China’s state-supported giants.

The report calls for urgent action: streamline regulations, incentivize private investment, build a national minerals stockpile, and strengthen alliances through ‘ally-shoring’ to create supply chains free from Beijing’s reach. While China holds the upper hand now, the report suggests this is also a moment of vulnerability for them—if the U.S. and its partners can act decisively.

This isn’t just about batteries; it’s about the future of warfare and sovereignty. The time for bold, unified action is now, before the balance of power tips irreversibly.