Globalization and China's rise to become a raw materials power make one thing clear: metals and rare earths are no longer just commodities. Rather, they are a factor in the complex web of geopolitical turmoil in the world situation. China is the leading producer of rare earths and uses them specifically as a means of exercising power. Europe and the US have long underestimated and overlooked their dependence on China. The economy, energy transition, and defense capabilities are dependent on Chinese raw materials, and Europe must now ask itself: How can it break free from this stranglehold?