china defends tough stance on ree, page-27

In regard the FTA between AU-US. My business imports product from the US. If the product is wholly manufactured in the US then the FTA applies. I don't pay customs duties but still pay GST at this end, that's it.
If the product was sold into the US and then I purchased this product I would be up for duties and GST. The reverse applies to product sold to the US, it MUST come from Australia and be totally manufactured/processed here unless the FTA does not apply.....however all that means is that there will be some form of import tax at the US end....no big deal.
So in the scheme of things the FTA is almost meaningless to Lynas. My belief is that Lynas had no expectations of selling REEs into the US, anticipating that local US supply would cover their needs.
Moly's tie up with Neo, may change the paradigm. Not sure to what degree the US government would want to deal with a supplier based in China, irrespective of ownership.
Can you imagine companies like GE and McDonald Douglas manufacturing possible defence equipment out of China, I can't.
That is the primary reason Lynas may now have a significant opening into the 'US Government' market, FTA is meaningless here.