Here's something else to think about. Let's suppose that EVs based on lithium batteries do become the dominant form of vehicle in the next 20 years and that China becomes the world's largest lithium exporter, the Saudi Arabia of lithium.
Should we feel more secure being dependent on lithium from China, rather than from oil from the Middle East? Honestly, I would. Oil funds terrorists who have a death wish and Middle Easterners produce nothing else that we want. China produces many different goods and services that we want. China and the US have the most intertwined economies and are mutually dependent for each other's success. If we were smart, we would be developing a friendly and mutually advantageous relationship with China instead of antagonizing them into becoming the new bogeyman to feed our fears. Culturally speaking, Chinese are much more like us than Middle Eastern Muslims. Chinese are the quintessential entrepreneurs and free marketers. Now that they have a taste for it, it will continue to grow to take over most of their economy. Their system of government will continue to liberalize as a result. Also, Chinese people don't have a death wish, whereas our worst enemies in the Middle East think nothing of committing suicide, or sending their children to do the same, in order to inflict damage on our people and property.
Oh yes. I'd much rather be in a mutually dependent, trade relationship with China, rather than the Middle East.
All of this was a thought experiment, though. The US will have a far larger percentage of overall lithium supplies than we currently do of oil supplies, if we decided to develop our own resources. Demand will drive worldwide prices up high enough to make our resources economically viable to develop. |
