Its new deal with Vietnam and its fresh tariff threats issued to many other countries seem designed to reduce China’s role in their supply chain. Countries that had hoped to stay out of the new cold war now fear they are being forced to pick a side. To appease the world’s biggest market, they must anger the world’s biggest trader.

Rare earths at a factory in Tianjin, China. Manufacturers speak of resilience yet some keep only a week’s supply of rare earth magnets in their inventories © Doug Kanter/Bloomberg China’s weaponisatio

China confirmed that it had agreed with the U.S. to approve the accelerated export of rare earths after President Donald Trump said he had signed a trade deal with Beijing, and said Washington will also lift some of its export restrictions on Beijing in return.

President Donald Trump told leaders from five African nations on Wednesday that he was shifting the U.S. approach to the continent from aid to trade and that the United States is a better partner for Africa than China.

President Donald Trump has promised West African leaders a shift from aid to trade during a White House meeting

President Trump is hosting 5 African leaders in Washington this week — a selective summit that's raising eyebrows over who was invited, what's on the table, and what it signals about U.S. rivalry with China and BRICS in Africa.