China, Hormuz and Europe's supply chains: why the Netherlands is fast-tracking its raw materials strategy

How dependent is the Netherlands on the raw materials needed to build warships, drones and batteries? And what happens if those supplies suddenly disappear — because of Chinese export controls or the closure of the Strait of Hormuz? The Dutch government is sounding the alarm over growing geopolitical pressures on critical raw materials and is responding with a major shift in policy. The National Raw Materials Strategy will now be accelerated, with the defence industry elevated to a new top priority. What exactly does that mean? Behind the scenes, The Hague is working on strategic stockpiles, new processing capacity and support for projects designed to reduce Europe's dependence on third countries.