A Chinese-backed militia is protecting new rare earth mines in eastern Myanmar, according to four people familiar with the matter, as Beijing moves to secure control of the minerals it is wielding as a bargaining chip in its trade war with Washington.

Beijing has a near-monopoly over the processing of heavy rare earths into magnets that power critical goods like electric vehicles.

A Chinese-backed militia is protecting new rare earth mines in eastern Myanmar, as Beijing moves to secure control of the minerals it is wielding as a bargaining chip in its trade war with Washington,