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War on the Rocks ·Future-gazing

Control Without Ownership: How China’s Party-Business Networks Dominate Indonesia’s Mineral Supply Chains

by Ahmad Syarif

Published 2026-05-28 08:00:38+00:00

What does it mean when a nation's party and businesses deeply entwine for global resources?

0:00 / 19:19 · Narrator Sulafat

Context

Have you ever wondered how countries secure the crucial resources they need without necessarily owning the mines outright? This piece from War on the Rocks unpacks China's remarkably subtle and effective strategy in places like Indonesia. It's not about blunt force, but a sophisticated web of party-business networks that ensure access to critical minerals like nickel and aluminum. It really makes you think about how these quiet, strategic moves shape global supply chains and, ultimately, the future of industrial power. What does 'control without ownership' truly mean in today's world?

Show notes

China's strategy for securing critical minerals relies on party-business networks that coordinate state support and private enterprise, exemplified by cases in Indonesia's nickel and aluminum supply chains. The piece details how this approach provides cost advantages and strategic control, and proposes a US special-purpose vehicle under the Defense Production Act to counter this without adopting the Chinese model.

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