Italy and US Sign Critical Minerals Pact to Reduce China Reliance

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio are set to sign a bilateral agreement on raw materials during their meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The accord is designed to secure supply chains for critical minerals, marking a shift from diplomatic dialogue to concrete industrial policy. According to Tajani, the agreement explicitly aims to establish an alternative market structure where China no longer dictates pricing for essential inputs.

The move is framed as part of a broader strategic partnership that includes the recently signed Pax Silica declaration. This initiative links semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and mineral resources within a trusted technology ecosystem. By formalizing these ties, Rome and Washington are attempting to reorganize global supply chains among allied nations, reducing dependence on a single dominant supplier.

Explicitly targeting structural dependency

The language used by both governments is notably specific. China is no longer treated as an implicit concern behind general diversification efforts but is identified directly as the structural dependency that the two nations seek to diminish. This shift in rhetoric underscores the economic-security dimension of the meeting. As reported by Decode39, the agreement is intended to address the upstream bottlenecks that affect defense production, energy systems, and digital infrastructure.

The strategic context is reinforced by recent data indicating the difficulty of dislodging Chinese dominance in this sector. Despite growing investment from Western nations, China continues to control a significant majority of refining capacity for several critical minerals. Recent figures from the International Energy Agency suggest that while shares have shifted slightly, the gap between Western production and Chinese processing remains substantial, highlighting the complexity of the challenge.

From summits to bilateral implementation

This signing represents the latest stage in a process that has accelerated throughout 2026. In February, the U.S. hosted the first Critical Minerals Summit in Washington, where Italy was the only European nation to send a foreign minister to the opening session. That event established the political direction for the initiative, which was subsequently broadened in July when Italy formally acceded to the Pax Silica Declaration in Brindisi.

The sequence of events illustrates a deliberate escalation in cooperation. The initial summit set the agenda, the Pax Silica declaration expanded the scope to include digital infrastructure and manufacturing, and the current New York agreement moves the relationship toward specific bilateral implementation. This progression reflects a growing consensus among Western leaders that mineral security is inextricably linked to technological sovereignty.

Challenges in building alternative capacity

Replacing the scale of existing supply chains is a complex endeavor that extends far beyond opening new mines. It requires significant processing capacity, long-term capital investment, predictable demand, and robust infrastructure. The United States has increasingly deployed financial instruments and purchasing arrangements to support these goals, whereas European nations continue to navigate challenges related to financing, permitting, and implementation timelines.

The forward question now centers on the pace of industrial development. Whether these diplomatic agreements can translate into tangible production capacity within the next few years will determine their long-term success. Observers will watch for additional bilateral deals and the extent to which private sector investment follows the public commitments made in New York.