China has shown it will use economic leverage as a weapon, and that risks growing as new technologies reshape the global economy. This piece looks at how rare earths were only the opening act and why artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotechnology matter for national security. It argues the United States still has the tools to respond, but it must act boldly to protect supply chains and speed domestic capacity. The choices we make now will determine whether America leads or becomes dependent.
Beijing’s willingness to choke off materials and parts is no longer hypothetical, and rare earths illustrated that vulnerability bluntly. What started as a squeeze over a few strategic minerals quickly signaled a broader playbook China can repeat across technology inputs. Facing a rival that leverages manufacturing dominance, we cannot treat these squeezes as isolated problems; they are symptoms of a strategic challenge.
Three technologies matter most for the decade ahead: artificial intelligence, quantum computing and biotechnology. Each one depends on specialized components, materials and manufacturing capabilities that are concentrated in risky supply chains. If those chains remain exposed, our military advantage and economic leadership will be on shaky ground.
Today we already see U.S. data centers reliant on key chemicals, printed circuit boards and networking gear tied to foreign suppliers, and quantum research depending on precision cooling equipment, lasers and rare minerals. The pharmaceutical supply chain is equally alarming, with key ingredients for many approved drugs produced almost entirely offshore. That level of dependence translates into leverage in a crisis, whether it is access to hardware or life-saving medicines like amoxicillin.
CHINA WEAPONIZED SCIENCE AGAINST THE US. WE’VE FIGURED OUT A KEY ELEMENT THEY MISSED This is not just rhetoric; it frames the practical risk facing our economy and our troops in a time of stress.
We are not powerless. America’s private sector spends more on research and development than any other country, our capital markets can fund big projects, and our workforce has the talent to rebuild strategic supply chains. The right mix of incentives will unlock that potential, but doing nothing is not an option. We have to accept upfront costs to avoid far higher strategic and economic costs later.
That means targeted government action that leverages free market strengths, not heavy-handed control. Use procurement to create predictable demand, especially for quantum systems that need milestones to push development from lab to useful machine. Promote regional biomanufacturing hubs by co-funding shared facilities and cutting regulatory barriers where safety allows, and push for domestic production of dozens of critical inputs for semiconductors, data centers and drug manufacturing.
Allies matter and should be part of the plan. Work with like-minded partners to diversify sources and build joint stockpiles of essential ingredients and minerals, favoring trusted markets when the government secures reserves. Create an Economic Security Center to break down agency silos, coordinate technical expertise and accelerate private-public partnerships so vulnerabilities are spotted and fixed fast. That kind of practical, Republican-minded strategy—lean on markets, defend industry, and use government where it creates leverage—puts America back in the driver seat without surrendering our principles.
