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?

Panellists:
Professor Ian Satchwell, Adjunct Professor, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland
Dr Alloysius Joko Purwanto, Energy Economist, ERIA

Moderator:
Dr Rem Korteweg, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute

This podcast episode was recorded on 2 October 2024.

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

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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); CITD - the Center on Inclusive Trade and Development at Georgetown University Law Center (US); the Clingendael Institute (The Netherlands); Elcano Royal Institute (Spain); ERIA – the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (Indonesia); 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).

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