China is on a buying spree, scooping up copper, silver, and other critical commodities. This isn’t just routine trade. It is a calculated move to tighten the global supply of essential resources while the West looks the other way. Copper imports hit a 13-month high in December 2024, surging nearly 18% year over year. Over the course of the year, China secured 5.68 million tons of unwrought copper, increasing its grip on the market. Meanwhile, silver purchases from South America are adding to its growing reserves.
China isn’t just buying. It is locking in long-term supply contracts with global miners, ensuring it stays ahead while competitors struggle. While domestic copper production is expanding, Beijing continues to dominate the import market, leaving little breathing room for the rest of the world. The result? A steady drain of resources that will make securing critical materials harder and costlier for everyone else. These moves are already pushing prices higher, hitting global manufacturing, construction, and technology sectors hard.
The implications go beyond economics. A resource war is unfolding. Trade conflicts and geopolitical tensions are fueling this battle for essential materials. Western supply chains are feeling the squeeze, with rising costs making it harder to secure critical inputs. The more China stockpiles, the more vulnerable industries relying on copper and silver become. The West thought it could outsource everything and still stay in control. That illusion is shattering.
The global resource war is no longer a theory. China’s aggressive buying spree is reshaping supply chains and driving up costs across the board. The West can either wake up and secure its own strategic reserves or watch as China dictates the terms of the future.
Sources:
https://www.mining.com/web/chinas-december-copper-imports-hit-13-month-high/
https://www.mining.com/web/chinas-copper-buyers-slash-annual-contracts-with-market-in-flux/
https://www.wri.org/insights/manage-global-land-squeeze-produce-protect-reduce-restore