The essay contends Trump’s sanctions and fuel squeeze on weakened Cuba aren’t about danger but a test of U.S. coercive power, showing Washington can discipline neighbours through oil and finance.

Tightening export licences turned Chinese battery‑metal supplies into chokepoints.  The note shows how the licence itself becomes the weapon, making critical minerals unobtainable and highlighting the urgency of diversification.

The Pentagon’s list of Chinese military companies now includes tech and EV firms, showing productive capacity itself is being treated as a security target and blurring commercial with military.