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Rare earth is one of the national strategic resources. China’s rare earth resources hold the fist place in terms of their reserves, production, sales and use in the world. As one of the generally acknowledged major countries producing rare earth, China has been a main supplier in the world rare earth market. However, China has long been in a passive position in rare earth field as its speech and pricing rights are held by other countries. This is due to China’s lack of strategic consideration and systematic planning for industrial development of rare earth resources, and its lack of major technical innovation and breakthrough in the utilization of rare earth resources, and also its lack of force and effect in the regulation of rare earth resources. Under such circumstances, such issues as how to fully utilize rare earth resources, how to develop rare earth resource industry as well as how to give full play to China’s advantages of rare earth resources in international competitions, have thus become major strategic issues in the research of resource and industry economy in China.In view of the issues above, this thesis focuses its attention on China’s rare earth resources. Firstly, by employing many research results such as those of Industrial Cluster theory and Development Strategy theory, the thesis starts from the discussions of Resource Curse theory, and then describes and analyzes the history, the present situation as well as the current predicament in China’s industrial development of rare earth resources. Then the thesis further probes into the causes of the predicament.Secondly, the thesis makes a comparative study between the strategy of rare earth resources in China and that in America, Japan, the European Union and Russia. In the light of the comparative results, the thesis generalizes some development regularities that can be served as enlightenment, i.e., establishing a sustainable national strategy for rare earth resources, constructing a stable industry policy system, making good use of international and domestic markets, strengthening the scientific research and technical development of rare earth, and emphasizing the environment protection in industry development. Thirdly, the thesis suggests that it’s necessary for China to avoid“resource cursing”, develop industry clusters and formulate strategic planning. The emphasis should be put on the cultivation, growth and upgrading of industry clusters. For this reason, the thesis makes an empirical research of the two industry clusters of rare earth resources: Baotou and Ganzhou, assuming that the risk of these two big industry clusters lies in resource trap, environment pollution, low-end industry as well as single structure. Their drive force of development depends on policy guidance, market competition and technology progress as well. Their transformation and upgrading should be towards high efficiency, low pollution, practical application and sustainable development.Lastly, based on the background of globalization, the thesis makes a predictive analysis of China’s industrial development of rare earth resources in the next decade, and meantime proposes some development strategies. China will be confronted with many social problems in the future such as senior population, pressure on resources and environment and imbalance in economic structure, which will compel China to transform its industrial development mode of rare earth resources. In order to realize the scientific development in the industry of rare earth resources, China should enhance its control over the market and technology of rare earth resource industry, extend the industrial chains towards the high-end application, carry out the strategy of "going abroad" and make a comprehensive utilization of rare earth resources, thus providing reference for the development of the whole resource industry.
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