China's Vulnerability Paradox

"In the summer of 2022, the Chinese government announced the creation of a $3 Billion state-owned iron ore giant, the China Mineral Resources Group, whose mission is to manage the multifaceted undertakings of iron ore imports, processing and trading, as well as overseas investments. This was an extraordinary announcement and in many ways the culmination of at least fifteen years of frustrations on behalf of leading Chinese iron ore market stakeholders. There is something paradoxical about China's relationship with and impact on global commodity markets. On one hand, within a very short period of time, China emerged from being an almost complete outsider to becoming the principal player in most commodity markets"--