US buyers of critical minerals have been circumventing China's export ban by sourcing these materials through third countries such as Mexico and Thailand. Despite China's efforts to restrict exports of rare earth elements and other critical minerals, Chinese companies have employed creative methods to bypass these regulations. This practice has been reported amid increasing global competition for critical minerals essential to technology and defense sectors. Meanwhile, satellite imagery analyses reveal environmental damage in the South China Sea, where over 7,000 acres of coral reef have been destroyed due to dredging and landfill activities by claimant countries. The United States is also exploring deep-sea mining opportunities in the Pacific, although these initiatives carry environmental and normative risks. Additionally, tensions in the Yellow Sea have escalated following China's deployment of steel structures, as documented by satellite and AIS data, leading to increased friction with South Korea.