The USA covets Finland’s battery minerals, and the reason may be found in China

Jose W. Fernandez, the United States State Department’s deputy minister answerable for monetary growth, surroundings and power, praises the cooperation opportunities between Finland and the US.

“At our house is a unprecedented possibility that commonly doesn’t come even as soon as in a era.”

This is how the Assistant Secretary for Economic Growth, Environment and Energy of america State Department starts offevolved Jose W. Fernandezwhen he is requested on the end of the interview to summarize his message to Finns.

The center of the message is that Finland, which is technologically skilled in lots of fields, has an splendid opportunity to succeed and to achieve this in cooperation with the US.

“We proportion the same principles and trust that with the aid of sharing facts and perspectives, both can gain from it.”

Fernandez says that both the US and Finland believe that financial increase is largely dependent on technological development.

“Both international locations are also positive.”

Fernandez says that he's happy along with his conferences and discussions with Finnish enterprise leaders and authorities. He changed into the foreign minister in Finland Antony Blinkenin In reference to a visit to Helsinki.

“It is quality. I can’t usually say that my meetings could give up like that.”

Fernandez gives an interview to Helsingin Sanomat on the US Embassy in Finland in Kaivopuisto, Helsinki.

Security exams are strict. For example, you could now not bring your very own laptop even to the assignment location.

 

 

Assistant Secretary Jose W. Fernandez inside the Library Room of the US Ambassador’s Residence. Picture: Mikko Suuutarinen / HS

Fernandez says in Finland that he has located in lots of conferences how actual the government and organizations are to increase, as an example, a quick 6g network and the open O-RAN mobile network favored by Americans.

Has Finland’s NATO membership modified the alternate family members between Finland and america?

“At least it has improved Finland’s visibility, mainly in Washington,” Fernandez replies.

“And that visibility is best useful because it highlights technological achievements that you may be proud of.”

Fernandez’s exams of Finland and the international locations’ cooperation are pure praise.

Finland, with five and a half of million population, is a fulfillment story that is one of the top countries within the world in clean electricity, telecommunications and mineral enterprise, Fernandez lists.

The mineral industry is also one of the key reasons why this interview is being performed.

As the whole lot becomes electrified, the consumption of numerous minerals, inclusive of lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese wanted in batteries, increases. At the equal time, many nations are concerned that they'll grow to be unnecessarily dependent on Chinese uncooked substances.

For example, in keeping with the Geological Research Center (GTK), Finland has exact mineral capacity for batteries. According to GTK’s evaluation, Finland has precise opportunities for the manufacturing of, for instance, cobalt, nickel, lithium and graphite.

The US knows this too.

Fernandez says that the United States, collectively with the EU countries and 12 different nations, is working to create a network wherein the great manufacturing chains of raw materials might assure that the countries could be impartial from China.

When China and the USA are engaged in a exchange war, an increasing number of international locations are speakme about strategic autonomy, that the management of strategically important manufacturing chains should stay in their personal palms.

On the other hand, Fernandez also says that the corona pandemic and Russia’s battle of aggression in opposition to Ukraine showed that the want for massive manufacturing chains does no longer best come from China. The flexibility of production chains can show to be crucial, for instance, inside the event of a natural disaster, he says.

“We have no preference however to come to be independent. Supply chains ought to diversify.”

To start with Fernandez, who comes from Cienfuegos at the southern coast of Cuba, says that he additionally works with Finnish industry and administration on tasks that focus on Latin America. “In addition to shared values, we've got shared business possibilities.”

“We cooperate with Finns in third international locations due to the fact you have got the main recycling technology wished by the mining industry.”

“I desire that lots of our allies inside the Mineral Security Partnership Program will consist of you,” Fernandez says, listing an entire host of countries from South Korea to Sweden.

In Finland In latest weeks, new bulletins approximately funding initiatives have been pouring in, most of which can be associated in a single way or another to Finland’s inexpensive, inexperienced wind strength.

According to the listing of the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), funding tasks really worth extra than ninety billion euros are pending according to the maximum positive calculation strategies.

American corporations also are many of the traders.

Fernandez reminds that the wind energy boom does now not challenge Finland alone.

The significance of wind and solar electricity is developing anywhere.

“Even in New York, we're constructing a wind farm at the coast. The different is on its way to Cape Cod.”

Cape Cod is located at the east coast of the US in Massachusetts.

According to Fernandez, investments are now directed to wind and sun electricity for the easy reason that during many cases it's far already more worthwhile to construct a solar or wind strength plant than a power plant running on fossil electricity.

“It’s no longer approximately ideology. It’s a market financial system.”

of the United States and China’s inflamed hole has been speculated within the financial papers to have slightly advanced in recent weeks. There were more high-degree private meetings than before.

If the members of the family between the countries preserve to enhance, could the modern-day competition among the USA and China for the mastery of the green electricity transition ultimately gain all of humanity?

“We had been very clean about this,” Fernandez replies. “We compete when we should, and we shield in opposition to China when we have to.”

In the financial system, according to Fernandez, the problem is certainly that the regulations of the sport need to be fair and that the international locations also follow the agreements they've made.

When he mentions to him that China does no longer comply with the rules of the World Trade Organization, Fernandez interrupts the communique.

He does now not need to take an immediate stand on contract violations, however speaks on a general degree about the importance of respecting intellectual assets rights and the transparency of administration.

Instead, China’s human rights violations get hold of a clearer verdict.

“Forced hard work have to no longer be used,” says Fernandez. “It’s clean. It is going in opposition to all our values.”

He admits that he is referring to the treatment of Uighurs in China.

However, Fernandez reminds that the 2050 carbon neutrality purpose cannot be accomplished without China.

“That’s why we must cooperate with China in areas in which we've got not unusual dreams.”

Correction 9.6. 7:20 p.M.: Fernandez’s name changed from Under Secretary of State to Deputy Minister.