VOA Mandarin: DRC wants mineral deal with US, potential check on China's dominance

FILE - Laborers carry sacks of ore at the SMB coltan mine near the town of Rubaya in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Aug. 13, 2019.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a speech last week, vowed to take “historic action” to “dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths.” The latest announcement came as the Democratic Republic of Congo approached the United States to strike a Ukraine-like minerals deal. Experts say the U.S .could offer a viable alternative to the DRC and check China’s influence while ensuring access to critical minerals for Washington. But they caution that a mineral agreement is also fraught with challenges.