China will consolidate and expand its domestic strategic resource bases this year to achieve a rapid increase in mineral resources, Natural Resources Minister Wang Guanghua said on Sunday, according to state media.
“We will launch a new round of strategic actions for mineral exploration,” Wang told reporters on the sidelines of the annual parliamentary meeting.
“We are focused on strengthening domestic exploration and development around rare and strategically important mineral resources,” he said.
China will also encourage the “nationalization” of high-tech mineral facilities to avoid any grip on technology and equipment, he said.
In 2021, Chinese authorities unveiled a five-year action plan to increase the extraction of strategic mineral resources such as oil, natural gas, copper, chromium, tungsten, rare earths and crystalline graphite to ensure the country’s resource and energy security.
The Ministry of Natural Resources will implement follow-up measures to attract social capital to mineral mining and development, Wang said.