Critical Minerals and Trade in South East Asia: Regional Dynamics in a Global Context

The 2024 edition of the AIG Global Trade Series explores the theme of ‘Back to the Future: A New Era of Managed Trade?’

Both the digital transition and decarbonisation ambitions have heightened demand for specialty metals, including nickel and lithium for electric vehicles and rare earths for advanced microelectronics. But as advanced economies’ access to these metals is becoming increasing critical, supply security concerns are increasing: production of critical metals is concentrated in a small number of locations, while geopolitical tensions are rising.

The race to produce and acquire these minerals is boosting investment in Asia-Pacific, changing the relationship between the region and the global economy. Focusing on Indonesia and Australia, what role do producer countries play in the global supply chain for critical metals? How are these countries responding to economic and geopolitical and sustainability pressures? And how are countries in the region handling growing pressures towards fragmentation seen elsewhere in the advanced technologies global supply chain?

Related content from GTS Contributors:

Report | Reclaiming Leadership: Australia and the global critical minerals race
Report | Policies and Infrastructure Development for the Wider Penetration of xEVs in ASEAN Countries – Phase II

The AIG Global Trade Series 2024 is a series of podcasts analysing the complex interplay of factors shaping the global trade system. The Global Trade Series is a collaboration between AIG and the following international organisations with leading expertise on global trade:
the Aspen Institute Germany; CEBRI - the Brazilian Center for International Relations; Chatham House (UK); the Clingendael Institute (The Netherlands); Elcano Royal Institute (Spain); ERIA – the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (Indonesia); IIEL - the Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University Law Center (US); ISPI - the Italian Institute for International Political Studies; the Jacques Delors Institute (France); RIETI - the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (Japan); and the St. Gallen Endowment for Prosperity through Trade (Switzerland).
https://www.aig.co.uk/landing-pages/aig-global-trade-series