Chile has long been considered a relatively free market-oriented bastion in South America, with more openness to foreign investment and trade than most countries on the continent. In recent years, though, there have been rising protests from the left against existing economic policies, with concerns raised about inequality and unfairness.

The Mexican government is moving towards more state involvement in the mining of its natural resources, including lithium. This policy shift will have implications for Chinese companies that have signed lithium mining contracts in Mexico.

After the United States withdrew its armed forces from Afghanistan, there was speculation that China might try to exert its influence there, both politically and economically. In terms of the economy, one sector with potential was the mining of critical minerals, and one key mineral was lithium, which is important

Chinese lithium giant Ganfeng Lithium announced that it plans to acquire Argentina-based mining company Lithea Inc.

Following up on her Senate testimony yesterday, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo responded to a number of questions related to China trade issues at a House of Representatives hearing today, including on critical minerals, an anti-circumvention inquiry related to Chinese solar panels, and outbound investment screening.

During a recent trip by Australian trade minister Dan Tehan to meet with his U.S. counterparts, Australia and the United States moved forward with plans that some commentators have characterized as designed to "counter China" on critical minerals.

As we reported here, earlier this year the Canadian House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology held several hearings on the issue of critical minerals, partly in response to the sale of the Canadian mining company Neo Lithium to the Chinese company Zijin Mining Group. Last week, the