US links Myanmar peace push to rare earth access — SkimNews
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- US mission in Myanmar aims to facilitate at least three multi-stakeholder forums by 2030 that produce agreements on fiscal federalism and territorial demarcation, which the document links to creating opportunities for rare earth resource access
- State Department approved an integrated country strategy on August 31 that explicitly ties US diplomatic efforts in Myanmar to potential commercial gains for American companies in rare-earth mining
- Michael Vance, the State Department’s top intelligence official, has engaged in quiet talks with Myanmar’s military-backed government, marking a shift from prior US policy of isolating the regime after the 2021 coup
- US mission in Myanmar targets securing at least three commercial or investment deals above $5 million each for US firms, while also working to reduce the US trade deficit with the country
- Strategy document identifies combating scam centers that target Americans and repatriating Myanmar nationals as law enforcement priorities alongside rare earth access
Why it matters: The US is directly linking diplomatic engagement to mineral access in a conflict zone, where rare earths are currently flowing to China. By tying peace efforts to resource deals, Washington risks legitimizing a regime responsible for 100,000 deaths while positioning US firms to benefit if stability is achieved—making corporate gain a measurable outcome of diplomacy.
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