G7 energy ministers meeting in Canada on Thursday planned to launch a new alliance to counter China’s critical mineral dominance, in a push for more reliable access to the resources that power advanced technologies. The two-day Group of Seven meeting in Toronto opened hours after US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping signed an extendable one-year deal on China’s supply of rare earths. Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche, told reporters the Trump-Xi deal marked “a good sign,” noting German reliance on Chinese critical mineral exports. But she stressed the ... (full story)